Pfeiffer, Lohman shine in emotional 'Oleander'

The few ads I saw on TV told me nothing about this movie besides the fact that it was called "White Oleander." Many people I asked thought it would be a "sappy chick-flick" and refused to accompany me to the theater. "White Oleander" proved, though, to be a surprisingly satisfying film, both intellectually and emotionally.\nBased on the novel by Janet Fitch, "White Oleander" chronicles the life of Astrid Magnussen (Alison Lohman) following the imprisonment of her mother, Ingrid (Michelle Pfeiffer), for the first-degree murder of her lover. Shuffled from foster home to foster home, Astrid struggles with the great yet conflicting influences in her life -- the twisted views of her dominating mother and an inherent desire to find happiness. We see her radical transformations as she journeys through her adolescent years, from a sweet, innocent blonde to a gothic street punk. We see her naiveté tragically replaced by somber maturity, having experienced, first-hand, the cruelties of the world.\n"White Oleander" comes as the latest film of many dealing with the tensions between women, but it is definitely one not to be missed. Peter Kosminsky, best known for his adaptation of Emily Bronté's classic "Wuthering Heights," directs and brilliantly transfers the mother-daughter tensions onto the big screen. Pfeiffer's sharp looks and predatory expression quickly establish her as the hard and passionate Ingrid, while newcomer Lohman proves to be equally astounding as the torn Astrid, struggling to find both herself and a place in the world. But even more remarkable is the on-screen chemistry between these two talented actresses; their love-hate relationship was heart-rending to watch and beautifully played out. \nA haunting score binds the movie together, marking the ends and beginnings in Astrid's journey toward self-realization. Kosminsky's choice of location only served to enhance the sense of turbulence; by contrasting the foster slums of Los Angeles to the beautiful, multi-million-dollar mansion by the sea, he creates a sense of instability, a central theme of the film.\nOverall, "White Oleander" seemed a little drawn out, the result of cramming a novel's worth of information into a given time. It is, however, understandable; Kosminsky did an excellent job transferring Fitch's incredible novel to the big screen -- you should commend him by giving "White Oleander" a shot. Scout's honor says it's not a chick flick.