Greetings,
I like a good book, and I like a good movie. I certainly like it when a good book can get adapted into a good movie. Yeah, that doesn't always happen, though. So when I come across one that succeeds at this, I tend to gravitate toward it. Take the book, White Oleander, for example. This book was released in 1999, and it is pretty great. Of course, it is. Would Oprah endorse it if it wasn't ? Well, okay, sometimes she gets things wrong, but she has a decent track record when it comes to literature. Anyway, in 2002, it was adapted into a film. Now, because I enjoyed the book so much, I was a bit concerned about the film, but, soon enough, I realized I needn't have worried. Why? Well, let's talk about it and find out.
White Oleander follows the story of a girl named Astrid Magnussen from the age of fifteen into her early adulthood. She is played by Alison Lohman, who was actually about twenty-two at the time. Don't worry, though. If I didn't tell you this, you probably wouldn't have known. She truly was able to convincingly play the character through all the years. When the film begins, Astrid is living with her mother, Ingrid, a visual artist played by Michelle Pfeiffer. She is a woman who has a great love for her daughter, and it is reciprocated. Astrid adores her mother, but also knows that she can be a cold woman. Anyway, Ingrid starts dating a guy named Barry played by Billy Connelly. Well, sort of. I heard that his part was criminally cut down which is one of my only complaints here. Now, their relationship takes a turn for the not-so-great and, after Ingrid does something that gets her sent to prison, Astrid is put into foster care. We then follow her throughout her journey of going from place to place in these temporary homes, as she waits for her mother and as she grows up. I don't want to give away too much of what happens in these places, but let me just give a brief description of whom she encounters.
The first home she is sent to is that of Starr Thomas played by Robin Wright. She is former stripper and alcoholic turned Christian. Although, perhaps, she doesn't follow everything the Bible says about certain things. This is something that Starr's rebellious daughter often points out, like the fact that she's living with her boyfriend, Ray, played by Cole Hauser. Still, Starr is trying to make up for past sins by being something of a do-gooder, which has led her to take in a lot of foster children. Though it is difficult for Astrid, what with this being her first foster home, she settles in as best she can. Still, due to some unforeseen events, she is forced to leave the house sooner than she thought.
Eventually, Astrid leaves this house and goes on to something of a a modern day orphanage. I love what they say about it in the book and the film, when talking about why some kids choose to go there. They call it "the floor you can't fall below". While there, she meets a guy named Paul, played by Patrick Fugit. She becomes close to him, initially due to the fact that he is also an artist, but she it is also obvious that she just needs someone to be there. And Paul is someone who comes to genuinely care for her. Astrid does quite a bit of growing up in a short time in this place, because it is full of 'tough' kids, and she learns that she has to be the same way. She basically just learns to survive.
After a while, Astrid is moved to another foster home, this time that of Claire and Mark Richards played by Renee Zelwegger and Noah Wyle. Mark works in the movies and is gone for most of the time, so Claire, a struggling actress, is the one taking care of Astrid. She is a kind, but very sensitive woman, yet she gives Astrid some much needed stability. Of course, she must also move on from this home as well, again, due to circumstances beyond her control. It's at this point that Astrid seems to just stop trying. (P.S. You get to see what a good sense of humor Renee has here, because Claire shows Astrid a short scene from a horror movie she was in, and it's Renee in that Texas Chainsaw movie! Yes, she let the world be reminded of that. Dedication to her craft, that is.)
Anyway, during these experiences and as she continues on to even more, Astrid sporadically visits her mother in prison. It is clear that they still love each other, but their relationship becomes understandably strained. Things get more difficult with each visit and everything culminates with secrets that have been kept for years being revealed. The movie comes to a close, bookending with the opening scene, and it does so perfectly. I love when this is done so well in films.
So I think this movie is pretty much amazing. I know it seems as though I said a lot about the plot, but I barely scratched the surface. This film really is so much about the performances, particularly those of the four main actresses, so let me discuss that a bit. First, Alison Lohman is unbelievably great here. Not only does she act well, but she basically carries the entire movie. I don't think there is a single scene that she isn't in. That's got to be hard for an actress who has been doing it for decades, so to see such a young woman pulling it off is overwhelming. Then, there's Robin Wright. She plays her character over the top, but that's okay because Starr is over the top. She's outrageous and excessive in her personality, and she's kind of fun, though in a way that's almost uncomfortable. Robin does it impeccably. Then, we get Renee Zelwegger. Her character Claire is probably the most fragile person she has ever played, and Renee's performance is incredibly sad. And I mean that in the best way. She just breaks my heart every time I watch this, and to be able to be so effective emotionally is quite a gift. But, if I had to pick the most outstanding performance, I have to give it to Michelle Pfeiffer. I love Michelle Pfeiffer. I love her as an actress, and as a woman, I think she is so wonderful and beautiful and classy. Ingrid, however, is kind of an awful person. Yes, she loves her daughter, but she loves her to the point where she wants to control everything that comes in and out of her life. She is narcissistic and vicious and believes that her way is THE way, and she has no problem hurting people so long as she is able to make her point. And Michelle plays her perfectly. I think this is her best role ever, as a matter of fact.
Okay, one more thing. Yes, I think White Oleander is a fantastic movie, but I also would like to say how well it is made as an adaptation. As I said, I read the book and, as expected, there were several changes made for the movie. They condensed things, changed some character ages and even eliminated some characters altogether. The thing is, the changes, at best, made perfect sense to me, and at worst, just made me shrug my shoulders and say "I don't get it, but whatever!" For example, it made sense to turn Ingrid from a poet to a visual artist, because, to quote the author, Janet Fitch "What could be more exciting than watching a writer write? It's like watching the paint peel off the wall". But they also changed the name of Claire's husband, from Ron, as it was in the book, to Mark. I don't see why they did that, but it's just a cosmetic change, if you will. Actually, if you're looking for a good example of how to do an adaptation, what to keep, what to cut, you could do a heck of a lot worse than this movie.
So, in closing, go read the book, White Oleander, then go see the film, White Oleander. It's a beautiful, gripping, heartbreaking story, and it needs to be exposed to the masses. Guaranteed, not enough people have seen this. Again, it's so much about the characters, particularly this young girl, having life thrown at them from unexpected angles. That usually is life, so, no matter everyone's individual experience, I think this story can affect anyone.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
