Alan Arkin, Carl Reiner, Eli Marienthal

One of the freshest, most enjoyable independent films of 1998, Slums of Beverly Hills finds both comedy and compassion in the post-puberty woes of a soon-to-be high school freshman named Vivian...( read more  read more... ) Abramowitz (Natasha Lyonne), who has been either blessed or cursed (depending on who you ask) by breasts that have generously blossomed along with her sexual curiosity. It's not an easy time, especially since Vivian and her two brothers live a nomadic, close-knit existence with their unemployed father (Alan Arkin), who keeps moving them from one ratty apartment to another on the fringes of Beverly Hills. Joining them in their latest one-bedroom home is their flaky cousin Rita (Marisa Tomei), whose latest stint in rehab has been replaced by the half-baked goal of a nursing career.

Writer-director Tamara Jenkins clearly loves these characters, and her film has the feel of good-natured autobiography, set in 1976 (without indulging phony nostalgia) and using rich, character-related comedy to express the understanding that all families are dysfunctional in their own functional way. Whether Vivian is allowing a new neighbor (indie-film regular Kevin Corrigan) to touch her breasts or taking cousin Rita's favorite vibrator for a euphoric test-drive, Jenkins and the wonderfully sardonic Lyonne maintain a fine balance of hilarity and sexual awkwardness while giving equal time to Vivian's taunting siblings and well-meaning father. Consisting of loosely connected episodes that add up to a vivid family portrait, this remarkably well-cast film will be a treat for anyone who remembers (or is still going through) the emotional minefield of adolescence. --Jeff Shannon

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65% liked it

7,321 ratings

Critics

79% liked it

57 critics

R, 91 min.

Directed by: Tamara Jenkins

Release Date: August 14, 1998

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DVD Release Date: September 5, 2000

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Flixster Reviews (332)


  • December 18, 2008
    Funny. Natasha Lyonne is great. Can't believe she ended up a crack addict ... eek.
  • September 21, 2008
    The story of Vivian (Natasha Lyonne), a 14-year-old girl with an ever expanding bustline and Viv's father Murray (Alan Arkin) who moves his family (including Viv and her two brothers) every few weeks, jumping rent but staying in Beverly Hills because it's got "good schools." Lyon...( read more)ne is exceptional as Viv. She's sweet and sometimes endearing. She's the movie's lynchpin, and she's up to the task. The characters of Slums may seem overly quirky. No one in the film is normal. But therein lies the value of family. No matter how crazy you get, how far your luck has fallen, family is the home that is always there. That is the reward for the challenge of it all. So we fight, and we yell, and we do it because we have something invested in our families, ourselves.

    Murray Samuel Abromowitz: "Who the hell is that on your shirt?
    Eliot: Charles Manson, sir.
    Murray Samuel Abromowitz: Okay...
    [to family]
    Murray Samuel Abromowitz: Your sister gets the bedroom."


    What Slums of Beverly Hills lacks in cohesiveness, it makes up for in schmaltz and spirit. Hence, its more sentient moments are rarely obscured. This despite a gaggle of offbeat characters, an unusual brand of sexual frankness that flirts on the fringes of titillation, and a circus-like style of plot exposition. Many times, films that combine comedy and drama do so in an uncomfortable and unwieldy manner. In Slums of Beverly Hills, the approach is natural and satisfying.
  • April 19, 2008
    This was very enjoyable!

    If you like Little Miss Sunshine, i'd definitely recommend it. It's got the same "dysfunctional family thats... well oddly functional" premise, although here we do settle on more of a "coming of age" film.

    Although a lot of the scenarios and struggles o...( read more)f the characters is written by a woman and would appeal to mostly women, as a man I found that I was still able to emotionally relate to a lot of what the film had to offer. It's far from a "chick flick" - it's well written, hilarious, and has a wonderful supporting cast that'll appeal to anyone.

    Tomei, Arkin, and Krumholtz are all great as always - but Natasha Lyonne definitely had such a strong performance that she carried the film. Her sarcastic and witty humor never failed to make me laugh out loud, and i'd imagine that her general attitude would serve as a sort of hero to teenage women everywhere. Yes, as an actress she is way too old for the part, but you'll forgive the film for that once it gets going.

    I'm suprised that this film isn't more iconic for it's particular genre. All the characters are very memorable, and there's quite a few scenes that I know i'll laugh just thinking about for years to come. Arkin walking in on Tomei and Lyonne dancing with a vibrator was so hilarious that I had to pause. Great stuff!

    Great character driven story with a wonderful script and great performances all around. I highly recommend it!
  • January 11, 2008
    A great piece of work. One of the most underrated independant films of the 90's.
  • October 16, 2007
    this film has some very funny moments, definitely has independent film written all over it. Marisa Tomei and Alan Arkin are very good in their respective roles. highly recommended.
  • July 22, 2009
    A very funny indie with interesting quirky characters. Recommended.
  • June 21, 2009
    Slice of life story follows a teenage girls exploring her sexual maturity and finding herself as her nomadic, disfunctional family struggles to find a home. Terrific cast members deliver sympathetic, quirky performances.
  • May 18, 2009
    pretty cool movie actually
  • April 27, 2009
    I find Slums Of Beverly Hills neither comedic nor compassionate, and yes, I disliked every minute of it. Don't even ask me about Vivian's breasts.
  • March 28, 2009
    A dark dramedy with a twist of pop. this film makes a statement on the period's youth while being sardonic and a little bit wierd.

Critic Reviews


May 11, 2001
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

What lifts this brash comedy above the vulgar herd is Tamara Jenkins in a heartfelt feature debut as writer and director. full review

January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Basically I enjoyed Slums of Beverly Hills -- for the wisecracking, for the family squabbles, for the notion of squatters who stake a claim in a Beverly Hills where money, after all, is not the only c... full review

View more Slums of Beverly Hills reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • ambercatgoddess
    February 24, 2007
    I cant believe noone else has posted a comment. This lady is a class A actress.She brings her parts to life and i cant wait to see what she will do next.

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Slums of Beverly Hills Trivia


  • FILL IN THE BLANK: ______ Cop Troop ______ Slums of ______ Down and Out in ______  Answer »
  • In the movie "Slums of Beverly Hills" what was Rita's secret?  Answer »
  • In what movie did a family of 4 go out for steak at Sizzlers before moveing into their new apartment?  Answer »
  • What curly haired actress played roles in the following films? Everyone Says I Love you? American Pie Slums of Beverly Hills  Answer »

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