MOVIE REVIEW: ‘White Oleander’ is a must-see — Grade A-
“White Oleander” is a film about anger, jealousy, hypocrisy, disappointment, violence and degradation. But also a film about acceptance, redemption and learning to let go. In other words, a film about life.
The story comes from an Oprah-endorsed best-selling novel by Janet Fitch, and centers around Astrid (newcomer Alison Lohman), a young girl who is shuffled from foster home to foster home after her mother (Michelle Pfieffer) is put in prison for poisoning her lover.
Astrid’s life and the way she views the world is primarily shaped by the people she comes in contact with – mostly her mother. Pfieffer’s character tells her the people she meets are “the enemy” and she must be strong enough to go after what she wants and keep it. However, Astrid rebels against her mother’s wishes.
Overall, the performances in this show were amazing. Lohman was hauntingly innocent in the beginning but portrayed well the changes wrought by Astrid’s experiences with hypocrisy, love, acceptance and worldly freedom.
Pfieffer, as the mother, played a very different role than we are used to seeing her in. She was strong and did what she wanted and even in prison maintained her haughty iciness and beauty.
Robin Wright Penn as Starr, the hypocritical Christian who first takes in Astrid, and Renee Zellwegger as Claire, the suicidal actress, offered Astrid life lessons that shaped who she became. One embodied the sometimes-hypocritical nature of the righteous while the other showed Astrid what love really is.
The story is one of self-discovery and acceptance, and some hollow dialogue aside, “Oleander’s” message hits home with the same finality as the flower’s poison. This is a thinking movie, not an entertaining movie. Those who want brain-dead entertainment are welcome to go watch “Punch-Drunk Love” with Adam Sandler.
“White Oleander” deals with the real world and its effects on us. It contains some mature themes that may be uncomfortable for some, but all can benefit from seeing this story.
Sometimes people don’t stop to think how their actions affect others. Astrid’s mother was so caught up in her jealousy that she didn’t see the effect it would have on her daughter’s life. This is a lesson all of us can stand to learn.
For once, we have a movie that does more than provide the dumbed-up entertainment society seems to cling to. This movie is a definite must-see.
Jared Sterzer is a senior majoring in business information systems. Comments can be sent to jwsterz@cc.usu.edu.