Anywhere But Here

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing, go elsewhere.
Review: Don't buy this to have a portman movie. She is bound to be better in the future... unless you have junior high aged girls. My one daughter liked this movie, but when I asked her if she wanted it for a gift, she said no. So if my wife and daughter didn't like that much, i have to rate it as FAIR 2 stars.

Rating:
Summary: good thing I saw it for free...
Review: What do you do with a couple hours to kill and a movie on tv? This movie was about as pointless as they get. Susan Sarandon plays the same absent-minded flightly woman she seems to play in most of her movies. Natalie Portman is a great actress but even she couldn't save this movie from being as lame as it was. It's the kind of movie where you debate whether to (and almost decide to) turn it off and get back to cleaning the bathroom the entire time.

Not for me. Even though it's a mother-daughter show, I tried to watch it with an open mind. Nope. Not ever again. And I can't recommend it either.

Rating:
Summary: A solid movie, I love it!
Review: I know, I know, this movie is labeled by many guys as a "chick flick" but I love it. Maybe I'm just partial to Natalie Portman, but the story was very well written (congrats to Mona Simpson, the author) and the acting and directing were wonderful. This film is a very believable story to me, I could easily picture a parent and child going through this same story. It's about connecting and bonding in relationships with others and realizing that unconditional love means having to remind yourself that "me" doesn't fit in the equation of loving others. Very well done film, it's definitely one of my personal favorites.

Rating:
Summary: Sarandon in Fine Form Per Usual!
Review: I was a bit leery of this movie when I ordered it because, frankly, I had never heard of it, but was not disappointed when it arrived and I watched it. I love Sarandon and would probably buy anything she was in, and I guess one of these days I will be disappointed in one of her movies. But it didn't happen with this one. The relationship between the mother and daughter is right on! Have you ever known of a teenage daughter who doesn't get irritated with her mother, and yes, even sometimes embarassed by her? And Susan's character does do a lot to try her staid daughter's patience! The beautiful Natalie Portman shows so much sensitivity in this role, as well. Coming of age and coping with all the teenage problems is hard enough but add a mother who is a bit flaky, and you have a big problem! Ann copes and does a fine job of handling things, although a few of life's problems almost get her down. This is the perfect film for mothers and teenage daughters to watch together. A mother's love never fails when push comes to shove, as Ann finds out.

Rating:
Summary: August girls - a serious version of Gilmore Girls
Review: I presume you know the famous Gilmore girls -- a mom-daughter team where the daughter seems to be the mom between the two. In Anywhere but Here, it's likely the case with a seemingly irresponsible Adele & a more sensible Ann. The pace is quite dragging with emphasis on Adele's desire to climb up the social ladder, despite the obvious financial difficulties.

'Anywhere but Here' reveals Adele's & Ann's states of mind. For Adele, she'd rather be in a partially furnished, unlit apartment in Beverly Hills than be in a place she finds restricting like Wisconsin. Beverly Hills represent all her dreams -- wealth, fame & success--- while Wisconsin embodies her mistakes & failures.

It is every mother's dream to give her child a better life & sometimes, to her own detriment, pass down all frustrations to the child. & that's how it was with Ann. Suffocated with too much materialism, tired of looking after her mother - who more often than not was a cause of embarrasment for her - would rather be anywhere, even in the tiny Wisconsin town, just to have some peace & freedom from her mother's antics.

The constant struggle between the mother & daughter could be heart breaking & tiring but at the end, it all boils down to love, acceptance & understanding.

Rating:
Summary: Great Acting-Above Average Story
Review: Anywhere But Here is the story of a mother(Susan Sarandon) and daughter(Natalie Portman) and their tribulations. The film focusues mainly on the relationship of the two, and it is a good thing because Sarandon and Portman share the screen wonderfully. This film is slow in pace, but that is nothing new to this genre of motion picture. This is not a feel-good movie, so do not see it if you want that type of movie experience. As I mentioned in the title of my review the story is above average but nothing spectacular. The most interesting thing about the story is that it is true-to-life. The mother and daughter face "real" problems and handle them like real people would. Sarandon and Portman are excellant and the supporting cast is strong. Four stars for Sarandon and Portman's performances and the true-to-life story.

Rating:
Summary: Mother-daughter Act
Review: I haven't seen the similarly themed and almost simultaneously released "Tumbleweeds," so I can't say which is the superior of the two. In all likelihood, neither film benefitted, either critically or commercially, from having a similar product on the market at the same time. Janet McTeer of "Tumbleweeds" got the Oscar nomination, as we know, but Susan Sarandon is always worth watching, and director Wayne Wang ("Joy Luck Club," "Smoke")has an impressive track record. "Anywhere But Here" may not be a great film, but it is well worth checking out.

The film does take some patience. It is primarily a character study and the characters take a little time to get to know. At first, daughter Ann seems to be just another sullen teenager. But gradually, one sees that her super-eccentric mom, Adele, gives her plenty of reason to be surly.

Sarandon is spot on as the free-spirited middle-aged dreamer, Adele. Portman's character lives in her mother's shadow, to a large degree, but her performance is a lot more nuanced than some reviews have indicated. As a teen, she's entitled to brood, and as Adele's daughter, doubly so. But it's not just a one-note performance. The "audition" scene alone should convince any doubter that Portman has more range than she's allowed to show in the rest of the movie.

"Anywhere But Here" might have fared better if it had been a little more streamlined. This is one of those films that you'd instantly recognize as having been based on a novel--even if like me, you had never heard of the novel before. A lot of secondary characters are introduced (Gail Letterfine, George, most of Adele's family back in Wisconsin)but never fleshed out. No doubt these characters were more expansively portrayed in the novel, but the film version has you wondering just what was left on the cutting room floor. The net result is that it's all a bit sketchy.

Fans of Sarandon, the up-and-coming Portman or director Wang may well want to add this film to their collection. For most viewers, this is one to rent.

Rating:
Summary: Don't Waste Your Money
Review: I thought this movie was aweful. I love Natalie Portman (Star Wars Episode 1 and Where the Heart Is), but I thought this movie was terrible. My Mom and I watched it together, thinking it would be a good monther-daughter flick, but it left us feeling depressed and we couldn't believe that we had even wasted our time. As a matter of fact, I sold my copy...!The story is about a very irresponsible mother who drags her daughter all around the country from one so-called home to the next. Natalie Portman, who plays the daughter has to act as the adult because her mother can't be responsible enough to pay the bills or hold a job. It was depressing and really downright irritating to see such an irresponsible Mom in the spotlight. The story-line was basically non-existant, it just dragged on forever, it seemed like. If you want a real feel-good movie watch Where The Heart Is, in my opinion Natalie's best so far. If you really want to be depressed then watch Anywhere But Here!

Rating:
Summary: Understated, under-rated movie. A poignant film. A gem.
Review: A poignant film about the relationship between an offbeat mother and a more subdued, level-headed daughter.

Ms. Susan Sarandon gives a performance that of a consumate pro, however it is Miss Portman who really carries the film.
Miss Natalie Portman gives a performance of rare maturity that belies her age -- a performance which is extremely moving and mature.

The film is more melancholy and somewhat tragic in its "tone" however the film is ultimately optimistic and heartfelt.

Rating:
Summary: Good movie for teenagers
Review: I purchased this for my teenage daughters and they loved it! I liked it too though which is why I purchased it to tell the truth. It's a warm story of a mother and daughter who move to CA as the mother seeks a better life for her and the daughter played by Natalie Portman. The mother character is annoying at times (Susan Sarandon) and I really don't think Sarandon comes across as the typical mother figure. The movie has some heartwarming moments and shows the struggles a single parent must endure to support their child. Although I like this movie, I think the storyline was weak. Natalie is too good of an actress for a poor story like this.