Anywhere But Here (1999)
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64% of critics liked it
(89 reviews) -
52% of users liked it
(39,260 ratings)
As with his earlier film The Joy Luck Club (1993), Chinese director Wayne Wang tackles mother-daughter relationships in this coming of age comedy-drama. Susan Sarandon stars as Adele August, a Bay City, Wisconsin, mother who longs for a more exciting and glamorous life in Beverly Hills, California.… More As with his earlier film The Joy Luck Club (1993), Chinese director Wayne Wang tackles mother-daughter relationships in this coming of age comedy-drama. Susan Sarandon stars as Adele August, a Bay City, Wisconsin, mother who longs for a more exciting and glamorous life in Beverly Hills, California. So she leaves her husband (Ray Baker) and packs her reluctant daughter Ann (Natalie Portman) into a gold Mercedes Benz, heading for L.A. When they arrive and move into an apartment they can't really afford, it becomes clear that Ann is the mature half of the duo, while Adele, a dreamer, is not firmly grounded in reality. Her plans include Ann's future career as an actress (a profession in which the girl has no interest) and landing a rich and handsome husband for herself, such as a dentist (Hart Bochner) who never calls Adele again after a one-night stand. When a family tragedy provokes a crisis between mother and daughter, the irresponsible Adele is forced to become a traditional mom for once. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi
- Directed By
- Wayne Wang
- Written By
- Alvin Sargent
- Genres
- Drama, Comedy
PG-13,
- In Theaters
- Jun 1, 2000 Wide
- On DVD
- May 2, 2000
- Studio
- Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
Critic Reviews
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Geoff Andrew, Time Out
Portman is excellent, balancing wisdom and petulance, loyalty and imposition...
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Emanuel Levy, Variety
As a depiction of a loving-turbulent relationship between a single mom (Susan Sarandon) and her rebellious teenage daughter (Natalie Portman), Wang's meller is nicely crafted but old-fashioned like Hollywood's weepies of yesteryear.
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Jeff Strickler, Minneapolis Star Tribune
The movie drops in on a crucial part of their lives, follows it for a few minutes and then jettisons to another episode. It's like watching 10 short stories.
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Rick Groen, Globe and Mail
Susan Sarandon and Natalie Portman put on an acting clinic that's a treat to watch, but, no matter how accomplished, a clinic is not a movie. They do a lot with a little, yet it's far from enough.
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Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
You start wishing you were anywhere but here -- preferably at last year's far funnier Slums of Beverly Hills.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Susan Sarandon
as Adele August
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Natalie Portman
as Ann August
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Eileen Ryan
as Lillian
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Ray Baker
as Ted
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John Diehl
as Jimmy
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Shawn Hatosy
as Benny
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Bonnie Bedelia
as Carol
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Caroline Aaron
as Gail Letterfine
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Hart Bochner
as Josh Spitzer
