The term chick flick would not justifiably describe "White Oleander," directed by Peter Kosminsky. When thinking of a chick flick, an individual typically imagines movies like "Steel Magnolias" and "Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood," where the plot evolves around friendships, weddings and happy endings.
"White Oleander," on the other hand, develops around the life of a young girl, Astrid Magnussen, played by newcomer Alison Lohman. This character experiences a raged life of shifting from one insecure foster home to another after her mother Ingrid, played by Michelle Pfeiffer, is sent to jail for murdering her cheating boyfriend.
Through the emotional ruts of Magnussen's life, she develops a mind of her own, and defends her wistful ways of thinking. Lohman brings out the greatest attributes of this character and as a newcomer, does a brilliant job expressing her broad range of talent by playing someone who faces the pain of heartbreak and the tragedy of selfishness.
The story unjustly bases the tragic downfall of troubled women on their relationships with men. For instance, after finding out that her boyfriend is cheating on her, Ingrid poisons him with the deadly white oleander flower. Needless to say, she is sent to jail, and her daughter is left in the hands of the foster care services, which leads to Magnussen's encounter with a Christian woman, played by Robin Wright Penn, who shoots Magnussen after accusing her of having an affair with her live-in boyfriend.
The pattern of jealousy and revenge continues. Between foster homes, Magnussen lives in the care center where she is beat by a girl who blames her for looking at her boyfriend. She is then placed in another home, but this time she luckily befriends her foster mother, Claire Richards, a Hollywood star, played by Renee Zellweger. The two form a trusting bond leaving Magnussen with some sort of definition to her character. But of course, this relationship does not last for long. Richards cannot handle her unsteady relationship with her husband, which ultimately leads to divorce and Richards' suicide. And Magnussen again moves into a foster home.
The dizzying effect of Magnussen's switching from one place to another leaves the audience without a clear understanding of the story.
The hastening pace of Magnussen's life limits the development of plot, as well as her character, and Pfeiffer and Zellweger do not appear often enough in the movie to leave lasting impressions. Pfeiffer remains in the jailhouse, and Zellweger kills herself after only half an hour. The movie's choppy script cheats Pfeiffer and Zellweger from their usual noteworthy performances.
