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Anywhere But Here
1999
Director Wayne Wang, known for family dramas about Chinese Americans that focus on mother-daughter relationships (DIM SUM, THE JOY LUCK CLUB), here adapts Mona Simpson's ANYWHERE BUT HERE, a novel perfectly suited for his talents. Teenage Ann (Natalie Portman) wants a normal life, but her mother, Adele (Susan Sarandon), has a .. Read more
| Starring | Susan Sarandon, Natalie Portman, Shawn Hatosy, Bonnie Bedelia |
|---|---|
| Director | Wayne Wang |
| Genres | Drama |
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Anywhere But Here
Director Wayne Wang, known for family dramas about Chinese Americans that focus on mother-daughter relationships (DIM SUM, THE JOY LUCK CLUB), here adapts Mona Simpson's ANYWHERE BUT HERE, a novel perfectly suited for his talents. Teenage Ann (Natalie Portman) wants a normal life, but her mother, Adele (Susan Sarandon), has a different idea of what is considered normal. When Adele grows tired of claustrophobic small-town life in Wisconsin, she takes the constantly complaining Ann across the country to Los Angeles, where she wants to start a new life. Ann, however, doesn't want to go, and her behavior wavers between typical adolescent annoyance to real insightfulness into her mother's character. Much of this comes from the voice-over provided by the adult Ann, who explains it all from her mature point of view. This sentimental story, long on feelings and more feelings, is nicely played, with Sarandon enthusiastic as the eccentric single mother that her daughter can't wait to get away from.
| Starring | Susan Sarandon, Natalie Portman, Shawn Hatosy, Bonnie Bedelia, Hart Bochner, Thora Birch |
|---|---|
| Director | Wayne Wang |
| Studio | 20TH CENTURY FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 54 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Collections | 100 Feisty Females |
| Genres | Drama |
| Language | DVD: English |
| Hearing-impaired | English |
| Subtitles | DVD: Croatian, Czech, Danish, Finnish, Hebrew, Hungarian, Icelandic, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Swedish, Turkish |
| Released | DVD: 01 Dec 2003 Production year: 1999 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (6)
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Flighty Susan Sarandon and her rebellious daughter Natalie Portman go on a turbulent voyage of self-discovery in this old-fashioned tear-jerker from director Wayne Wang that pays dramatic lip-service to such classic weepies as Stella Dallas. Familial tension mounts as they drive to Hollywood to fulfil the acting dreams Sarandon has for her embarrassed daughter, though the sudsy script eventually allows its emotional themes to bubble to the surface. (Portman desperately wants to meet her estranged father.) With Sarandon in Stepmom mode once more, it's left to Portman to breathe fresh life into the overfamiliar, soap-opera plot, and she rises to the occasion with grace, charm and wit. Portman's star is clearly ascending to future Oscar glory, but there's little else on offer here that hasn't been seen in a hundred other relationship/road movies.
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A domestic drama skewed in favour of the younger of two women, who is presented as more mature than her childlike mother, possibly in the hope of appealing to a highschool audience; adults may find it harder going.
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Most helpful member's review
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9 out of 9 people found this review helpful
Portable Portman
Natalie Portman (aka Natalie Hershlag) really shines in her role as the daughter of an irresponsible mother, played by Susan Sarandon.
All the supporting cast have fairly weak roles and are utterly forgettable as the focus is on the maturation of the mother-daughter relationship which follows a fairly predictable path.
It was interesting watching Natalie playing out her role as the impoverished student attempting to get a university education as a year after the movie she did go to Harvard, although she certainly didn't have to rely on any sponsorship to afford it!
All in all a nice little movie to settle down to watch of an evening ... -
Most recent members' review
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9 out of 9 people found this review helpful
Portable Portman
Natalie Portman (aka Natalie Hershlag) really shines in her role as the daughter of an irresponsible mother, played by Susan Sarandon.
All the supporting cast have fairly weak roles and are utterly forgettable as the focus is on the maturation of the mother-daughter relationship which follows a fairly predictable path.
It was interesting watching Natalie playing out her role as the impoverished student attempting to get a university education as a year after the movie she did go to Harvard, although she certainly didn't have to rely on any sponsorship to afford it!
All in all a nice little movie to settle down to watch of an evening ... -
News and features
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Portman's qualms over nude scenes
- 06 Nov 2009
Natalie Portman always thinks twice before agreeing to strip off on film - because she fears her naked image will end up on pornography websites. The actress admits she struggled with the decision to appear nude at the start of her career, and even asked filmmakers to rewrite a scene in her 1999 movie Anywhere But Here because she felt uneasy about baring all. She tells America's V magazine, "I was figuring out my own sexual identity, likes and dislikes and all that stuff, and it's weird to be Read more
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Director Wayne Wang, known for family dramas about Chinese Americans that focus on mother-daughter relationships (DIM SUM, THE JOY LUCK CLUB), here adapts Mona Simpson's ANYWHERE BUT HERE, a novel ... -