Based on the book by Oprah, White Oleander is a mosaic of characters that are weaved through a series of comic and tragic vignettes. You can call it a melodrama, a serio-comic drama, a character driven drama, in short, an emotional powerhouse. Alison Lohman plays Estrid, a rising teenage girl who has lived under the demandig control of her banal and self-absorbed mother (Michelle Pfeiffer). When Pfeiffer is put in jail for killing her boyfriend (with the poisonous oleander), Estrid must travel from one foster home to another and back to prison to visit her mother as she tries to find her self-identity. Zellweger gives a sweet and solid performance and Wright Penn is perfect as white trailer trash and play two of Estrid's foster mothers. It was nice to recognize (Patrick Fugit) the star of "Almost Famous." The movie brilliantly captures the turbulent years of a confused and rising teen in a surprisingly unconventional way. The script is carefully observed and full of amazing anecdotes. The jittery camera adds a visual intensity to the film and gives you a sense of desperation and anxiety. All of these assets plus an amazing cast drew me in on one of the most enticing statements to come out of Hollywood in a long time. I would compare it to American Beauty and Ghost World. On another note: Recalling Pfeiffer's performance as catwoman as one of the most creepiest villains ever captured on film, manages to be even scarier with a demanding presence in Oleander. In sum, White Oleander is a movie about being a survivor in the most crucial moments, a process of finding who you are, and growing up. ***1/2 (8/10)
Review of White Oleander
