White Oleander (2002)

There is a big difference between the book and the movie, but I think the movie covers most of the important parts in the time frame that they have. The actresses chosen for this movie were perfect, even though the character of Claire is different in the book in terms of looks. I think the writers chose the right parts of the book to tell. I do wish that the movie portrayed the mindset of each character better, especially Astrid. For instance, Uncle Ray is much younger and attractive in the movie than he is in the book. What the movie doesn't show enough is how Astrid is interested in much older men who are actually in their 40's. Nevertheless, this is a must watch movie. It shows a lot about women and their emotions.

I could watch this movie from end to end over and over again. Just as I could read Janet Fitch's book cover to cover and then start it over again. I'm torn between whose performance is better -- Alison Lohman or Michelle Pfeiffer. I think I've decided after several viewings from the time it came out on video in 2003 until now that Pfeiffer's performance is stronger. I can see so much of my own mother in her haunting portrayal of a perfect mother who could turn evil in a second and did by killing her lover. The movie itself focuses on Lohman as she transitions from foster home to foster home after Pfeiffer is sentenced to 35 years to life in prison. The screen just eats Michelle Pfeiffer -- her long blonde hair is perfect in every scene, including the time she's in prison. The book describes her as beautiful and the role was cast well. Pfeiffer is stunning. The supporting cast is equally strong, most especially Robin Wright Penn and Renee Zellweger. Wright Penn is outstanding as a Bible-beating trailer-ish (they don't actually live in a trailer) foster mother. Astrid (Lohman) enjoys this place at first, but she and Wright Penn's boyfriend Ray (Cole Hauser; in a performance that made him a star) fall for one another.All around well worth the time and energy in seeing it, White Oleander is and remains one of my favorite films.7/10; 3 of 4 stars.

This movie was an abject tragedy. They cast several talented actresses in roles they had no business being in, and slapped a plot on this trainwreck that only vaguely resembled the book.The book was not pretty and clean and ultimately harmless, like the movie. People who were integral to Astrid's development were nowhere in the movie (I'm sure because of time constraints and their scandalous nature). Whoever made the suitcases for the beginning and end scenes needs to lay off the LSD because they had them all jumbled up. Starr's was way to obvious (booby tassels anyone?), Amelia Ramos wasn't even in the movie but hers was there, with the wrong color hair and in Ingrid's suitcase.The climactic discussion and showdown between Astrid and Ingrid was rendered utterly toothles by a complete and total change of the original story to make Ingrid seem slight more sympathetic, but ultimately only pathetic. You can't make Ingrid nice. She's not and she doesn't care. I screamed out loud in frustration at least three times while watching this. Were the TV not so expensive, I would have thrown something at it.Renee Zellweger was pathetic as Claire.It was frickin' terrible.

I was so extremely disappointed by this movie. I read Janet Fitch's book last year before I even saw the movie, and so much of the book was left out of the movie it was unreal. Then to make the matter worse most of the parts they included in the movie were not accurate with the book. Such as when Astrid went to live with Star. They left out so much of this, and Star's daughter looked the complete opposite of the way she was described in the book. Much of Astrid's relationship with Ray was left, and Ray didn't even look the part. The acting was weak even for a movie constantly portrayed on lifetime, all of the acting was unrealistic and looked amazingly scripted. I'm not even sure they indclued the part of the book when Astrid went to live with the religious woman and all of the other girls that starved, or when Astrid went to live with the couple in the trailer when she got all of her scars. I love Janet Fitch's book, but when I tryed to watch the movie I fell asleep both times.