White Oleander is a 2002 drama film directed by Peter Kosminsky. It was adapted to screenplay by Mary Agnes Donoghue from Janet Fitch's novel of the same name. The cast includes Michelle Pfeiffer, Renée Zellweger, Robin Wright Penn, and Alison Lohman.

Tagline: Where does a mother end and a daughter begin?

Plot

Ingrid Magnussen is a free-spirited mother to fifteen-year old Astrid. Ingrid falls in love with a man but ends up with a broken heart. In a crime of passion, she kills the man with the deadly poison of the white oleander. She is sentenced to life in prison - and her daughter is sent from foster home to foster home. Through each foster home, Astrid has experiences both positive and negative. Astrid and Ingrid keep in touch through mail, trying to teach other important lessons about each other.

Cast

• Alison Lohman - Astrid Magnussen
• Michelle Pfeiffer - Ingrid Magnussen
• Robin Wright Penn - Starr Thomas
• Renée Zellweger - Claire Richards
• Amy Aquino - Ms. Martinez
• Billy Connolly - Barry Kolker
• Svetlana Efremova - Rena Gruschenka
• Patrick Fugit - Paul Trout
• Cole Hauser - Ray
• Liz Stauber - Carolee
• Noah Wyle - Mark Richards
• Marc Donato - Davey Thomas

Production

Barbra Streisand was offered the chance to direct this film, as well as play the role of "Ingrid Magnussen", but she turned it down because she was afraid that the time she had to commit to this film would be overwhelming.

References

External links

• Michelle Pfeiffer interview for White Oleander
• Movie stills