Anywhere But Here

One of my goals with netflix has been to see all the movies certain actors/actresses have been in. Natalie Portman is one of those people on my list. She co-stars with Susan Sarandon as mother (Adele) and daughter (Ann). This is a movie about family. Adele is a bit messed up in this film. She's a single mother, not exactly a great role model and her system of support is her daughter. Like in many family situations, Adele unfortunately takes out most of her frustrations, anger, dissapointment on her daughter. At one point in the movie Ann makes a comment that makes Adele angry so she stops the car on a highway, kicks Ann out of the car, throws her backpack out and takes off down the road. At the start of the movie Adele has grown tired of living near family and the state of Wisconsin so they up and move to Beverly Hills. Adele is constantly trying to live glamorously in the 'best school system in the country', trying to keep up with her teaching job, occasionally making a floosie out of herself and also trying to raise a teenage daughter. One might say it's a miracle Ann turns out halfway normal given the circumstances. In the end both Ann and Adele realize they really do love eachother and try to do what's best for each other. To some this may be one of those 'tear-jerkers', but it didn't illicit much emotion out of me. I'd say this is one worth watching once, but it probably isn't on many top 10 lists.