Spidersecu Don't Believe the Hype

Pacionsbo Absolutely Fantastic

ThedevilChoose When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

filippaberry84 I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

greggskinner-00447 The movie was filmed in 1999 and in it they were drinking Dunkin Donuts coffee and eating donuts but there was no Dunkin Donuts in the entire west coast untill 14 to 15 years later totally messed up. Great movie

bh_tafe3 Natalie Portman and Susan Sarandon play off each other beautifully in this easy going mother/ daughter drama that pulls a switcheroo on the traditional roles.Sarandon stars as Adele, a fairly wild, out of control dreamer, who decides to leave Bay City, Wisconsin with her daughter Anne, a grounded realist, in order to try and get a teaching job in Beverly Hills.If one was to summarize the script to this film in one word, it would be under developed. I mean, it's all there, a mother-daughter relationship with a role reversal, a love interest for both, a struggle between the two with a resolution, but this film just seems to happen and then end.You'll find yourself wondering what any of the side characters are doing in this story apart from making up numbers. The big strength is the performances from Sarandon and Portman and the way they relate to each other. The two play off each other beautifully, with Sarandon giving a fearless performance as an irresponsible, out of control, immature mother that allows Portman to make the most of her role as a responsible, careful young woman growing up and maturing with considerable dignity. This film earned Portman her first Golden Globe nomination, and is an interesting watch for any of her fans. The highlight in the film of the two together is the scene where Portman has to comfort her mother after a painful break-up with the realization written all over her face that this is an absurd reversal of the natural order.Most of the supporting cast are wasted, with Hart Bochner a particularly grievous waste. So big is Sarandon's performance and so arresting is Portman these characters would have dissolved into the background anyway, but it is frustrating that the script doesn't put the time into developing the side characters. While the film explores sex, death and small town boredom, we don't really know any of the characters these issues are effecting.Anywhere but Here is worth watching for the excellent performances from the leads, and its easy going tone. Probably not one to go out of your way to track down, but certainly worth watching on cable.

leplatypus I'm honest: Sarandon irritates me. So she's the perfect choice here to play a exasperating mother. What's funny is that her daughter is one of my favorite actress, Natalie. I'm always amazed how Natalie can express her feelings so well and since such young age. Here, she has a heavy part because she cries more than she laughs. In fact, a bit like in "BTF III", the roles are reversed because the daughter is serious, hard-working (so acts like a mother) while the mother is playful, careless (so acts like a teen).No matter how problems pile up, it's good to see that the red line is never crossed between them because they always share their eternal bond of love. They shout together but they never split. I guess that's what love is about. Another funny thing came nearly at the end of the movie because it's only there that I realized that their story was a bit mine too: indeed, I quit also my familial dead end in the country to come to a city of light. As Nathalie and Sarandon, I hear about my roots more than I am with them but unlike them, my departure was smooth.Finally, if the movie begins like "Mulholland drive" (same shots of palm trees and scene at a coffee), it's really about the relationships. Unfortunately, the rhythm drags a lot and of all thousand of cities in America, they had to choose LA!

Olivia H. This film is about a mother, Adele (Susan Sarandon)and a daughter , Ann (Natalie Portman)who move to Beverly Hills because Adele wants to feel "important" and she wants Ann to change her name to Heather and become an actress.Natalie Portman was excellent as usual! I loved the story!I was crying at the part where Benny dies. I own this movie and I love it. There wasn't a single thing I didn't like that is why I gave it a 10 out of 10. Susan Sarandon was also incredible! Sarandon and Portman are actually like a real mother and a real daughter.I think it would be hard to pretend that another actress was my mother/daughter.I love the scenes in the car especially the one where they are driving to relax and they go inside a house (and Adele lies the whole time!)So yeah!!