Slums of Beverly Hills (1998)
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80% of critics liked it
(60 reviews) -
63% of users liked it
(8,377 ratings)
Tamara Jenkins wrote and directed this comedy-drama depicting the experience of growing up poor in the 90210 zip code, told from the point of view of Vivian Abramowitz (Natasha Lyonne), a teen who lives a nomadic existence in the outskirts of Beverly Hills with her single, divorced father, Murray… More Tamara Jenkins wrote and directed this comedy-drama depicting the experience of growing up poor in the 90210 zip code, told from the point of view of Vivian Abramowitz (Natasha Lyonne), a teen who lives a nomadic existence in the outskirts of Beverly Hills with her single, divorced father, Murray (Alan Arkin) and her two young brothers (David Krumholtz, Eli Marienthal). As Murray tries to keep the family in the Beverly Hills school district, the family moves into a one-bedroom apartment in a shabby complex. When sexually liberated Rita (Marisa Tomei), daughter of Murray's brother Mickey (Carl Reiner), checks out of a drug rehab and moves into the apartment, she becomes a "role model" for the young Vivian. Jenkins's semi-autobiographical screenplay was developed and refined during Screenwriters and Filmmakers Labs sessions at the Sundance Institute. Produced by Robert Redford and Michael Nozik, this film was shown in the Directors Fortnight section at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi
- Directed By
- Tamara Jenkins
- Written By
- Tamara Jenkins
- Genres
- Art House & International, Comedy
R,
- In Theaters
- Aug 14, 1998 Wide
- Studio
- 20th Century Fox
Critic Reviews
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Emanuel Levy, Variety
Funny, well acted comedy from a new director whose career shuld be watched
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Lisa Alspector, Chicago Reader
Though hypocritical in the way it sensationalizes sexuality, this serious and funny 1998 movie about a 15-year-old coming to terms with her body and her family in 1976 is, refreshingly, never coy or ironic.
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Wally Hammond, Time Out
A small film with plenty of incidental pleasures, writer/director Jenkins' debut feature puts a winning new spin on the adolescent comedy-drama.
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Ray Conlogue, Globe and Mail
There's an alchemy that can transform personal experience into a great film, but it was nowhere nearby when Tamara Jenkins wrote and directed this lacklustre first feature.
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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.
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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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Natasha Lyonne
as Vivian
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Alan Arkin
as Murray
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Marisa Tomei
as Rita
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Kevin Corrigan
as Eliot
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Eli Marienthal
as Rickey
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David Krumholtz
as Ben
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Jessica Walter
as Doris
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Carl Reiner
as Mickey
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Rita Moreno
as Belle
- Bryna Weiss
- Charlotte Stewart
- Brendan Burns
