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Anywhere But Here is a 1999 American coming-of-age comedy drama film based on the novel of the same name by Mona Simpson. It was directed by Wayne Wang from a screenplay by Alvin Sargent, and stars Susan Sarandon, Natalie Portman, and Shawn Hatosy.

Filming began in late June 1998. The film debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 17, 1999, before being released in the United States on November 12.

Plot

Adele August (Susan Sarandon) and her reluctant teenage daughter, Ann (Natalie Portman), leave their small town in Wisconsin and move to Beverly Hills; Adele hopes Ann will become a Hollywood actress despite Ann s interest in going away to Brown University. They rent a run-down apartment and Adele becomes a teacher at the high school where Ann enrolls.

While at the beach one afternoon, Adele meets a handsome orthodontist, Josh; they date and have sex, leaving Adele to fall in love with him, but he later dumps her for a younger woman. Adele improvises from day to day, often unable to pay bills, and eventually quits her job. Adele and Ann spend their days hanging out together but over time, Ann grows tired of her mother s eccentric behaviour and dreams of running away.

Ann s cousin Benny arrives in Los Angeles for a visit. Upon his return home, Adele is notified that Benny has tragically died in a car accident, leaving Ann distraught. They attend his funeral in Bay City, and Adele argues with her intoxicated brother-in-law. Back home, Ann begins dating her crush, Peter, interested in experiencing sex for the first time after she turns seventeen. Her friends also help her reach out to her estranged father but he isn t pleased to hear from her.

Meanwhile, Adele gets a new job in a care home as a speech therapist, and gives makeup and style tips to its elderly residents. Ann works part-time in a supermarket and attends acting auditions, but continues to emphasise her desire to go to Brown. Adele rejects the idea, telling her they cannot afford the tuition. However soon after, Adele sells her expensive Mercedes and decides to help her, eventually accepting her dream.

Adele and Ann part ways at the airport as Ann goes off to college. They express their love for one another and Ann admits that, even though her mother drives her crazy, she cannot imagine life without her.

Cast

  • Susan Sarandon as Adele August
  • Natalie Portman as Ann August
  • Shawn Hatosy as Benny
  • Hart Bochner as Josh Spritzer
  • Eileen Ryan as Lillian
  • Ray Baker as Ted
  • John Diehl as Jimmy
  • Bonnie Bedelia as Carol
  • Faran Tahir as Hisham Badir
  • Caroline Aaron as Gail Letterfine
  • Corbin Allred as Peter
  • Michael Milhoan as Cop
  • John Carroll Lynch as Jack Irwin
  • Steve Berra as Hal
  • Eva Amurri, Susan Sarandon s Daughter, cameo appearance as a stude at Beverly Hills High School on Ann s first day.

Production

The film was primarily shot in Los Angeles locations, particularly sites like Beverly Hills High School, the Beverly Hills Hotel, LAX Airport, and Westwood Village.

Release

Box office

The film opened at #5 at the North American box office and made $5.6 million USD in its opening weekend.

Critical reception

The film received positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes it has a score of 64% based on reviews from 89 critics. The website s consensus reads: The strong chemistry between Susan Sarandon and Natalie Portman as a mother and daughter trying to make a fresh start in L.A. helps to elevate Anywhere But Here above its occasional forays into melodrama.

Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film three stars and noted The movie s interest is not in the plot, which is episodic and colorful, but in the performances. Sarandon bravely makes Adele into a person who is borderline insufferable. Sarandon s role is trickier and more difficult, but Portman s will get the attention. In Anywhere But Here, she gets yanked along by her out of control mother, and her best scenes are when she fights back, not emotionally, but with incisive observations.

Accolades

Golden Globe Awards

  • Nominated – Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture – Natalie Portman

Young Artist Awards

  • Nominated – Best Performance in a Feature Film – Leading Young Actress – Natalie Portman

Hollywood Makeup Artist and Hair Stylist Guild Awards

  • Nominated – Best Contemporary Hair Styling (Feature) – Paul LeBlanc

Soundtrack

Anywhere But Here: Music from the Motion Picture
Soundtrack album by

Various Artists
Released November 2, 1999
Genre Pop
Length 59:25
Label Atlantic/Wea.
Producer Danny Elfman, Steve Power, Lisa Loeb, Michael Beinhorn, Malcolm Burn, Marius de Vries, Joe Hardy, Jay Joyce, k.d. lang, Pierre Marchand, Rick Nowels, Carmen Rizzo, Glenn Rosenstein, Don Was, Wilbur C. Rimes, Ellen Segal, Pocket Size, Billy Harvey
Singles from Anywhere But Here: Music from the Motion Picture
  1. Leaving s Not Leaving
    Released: September 28, 1999

A soundtrack to the film was released on November 2, 1999, ten days before the theatrical release. The soundtrack was distributed by Atlantic Records and Wea.

The soundtrack features original music by Lisa Loeb, Danny Elfman and k.d. lang. It also featured tracks by artists such as LeAnn Rimes, Sarah McLachlan, and Pocket Size, as well as other various artists. Rimes song, Leaving s Not Leaving , was released as a B-side track with her single, Big Deal , on September 28, 1999.

No. Title Writer(s) Recording artist(s) Length
1. Anywhere But Here   k.d. lang 3:45
2. Walking   Pocket Size 4:14
3. Scream and Shout   21st Century Girls 3:25
4. Leaving s Not Leaving (feat. string arrangements by David Campbell) Diane Warren LeAnn Rimes 4:53
5. I Wish   Lisa Loeb 2:27
6. Free   Marie Wilson 3:56
7. Amity   Carly Simon and Sally Taylor 3:17
8. Ice Cream   Sarah McLachlan 2:43
9. Furniture   Kacy Crowley 3:29
10. Twisted Road   Patty Griffin 2:48
11. Strange Wind   Poe 3:59
12. Everything Around Me Is Changing   Sinéad Lohan 4:42
13. Come Here   Lili Haydn, Rick Boston 4:22
14. Chotee   Bif Naked 3:50
15. Anywhere But Here Score Suite   Danny Elfman 7:35
Total length: 59:25

Anywhere But Here is a 1999 American coming-of-age comedy drama film based on the novel of the same name by Mona Simpson. It was directed by Wayne Wang from a screenplay by Alvin Sargent, and stars Susan Sarandon, Natalie Portman, and Shawn Hatosy.

Filming began in late June 1998. The film debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 17, 1999, before being released in the United States on November 12.

Plot

Adele August (Susan Sarandon) and her reluctant teenage daughter, Ann (Natalie Portman), leave their small town in Wisconsin and move to Beverly Hills; Adele hopes Ann will become a Hollywood actress despite Ann s interest in going away to Brown University. They rent a run-down apartment and Adele becomes a teacher at the high school where Ann enrolls.

While at the beach one afternoon, Adele meets a handsome orthodontist, Josh; they date and have sex, leaving Adele to fall in love with him, but he later dumps her for a younger woman. Adele improvises from day to day, often unable to pay bills, and eventually quits her job. Adele and Ann spend their days hanging out together but over time, Ann grows tired of her mother s eccentric behaviour and dreams of running away.

Ann s cousin Benny arrives in Los Angeles for a visit. Upon his return home, Adele is notified that Benny has tragically died in a car accident, leaving Ann distraught. They attend his funeral in Bay City, and Adele argues with her intoxicated brother-in-law. Back home, Ann begins dating her crush, Peter, interested in experiencing sex for the first time after she turns seventeen. Her friends also help her reach out to her estranged father but he isn t pleased to hear from her.

Meanwhile, Adele gets a new job in a care home as a speech therapist, and gives makeup and style tips to its elderly residents. Ann works part-time in a supermarket and attends acting auditions, but continues to emphasise her desire to go to Brown. Adele rejects the idea, telling her they cannot afford the tuition. However soon after, Adele sells her expensive Mercedes and decides to help her, eventually accepting her dream.

Adele and Ann part ways at the airport as Ann goes off to college. They express their love for one another and Ann admits that, even though her mother drives her crazy, she cannot imagine life without her.

Cast

  • Susan Sarandon as Adele August
  • Natalie Portman as Ann August
  • Shawn Hatosy as Benny
  • Hart Bochner as Josh Spritzer
  • Eileen Ryan as Lillian
  • Ray Baker as Ted
  • John Diehl as Jimmy
  • Bonnie Bedelia as Carol
  • Faran Tahir as Hisham Badir
  • Caroline Aaron as Gail Letterfine
  • Corbin Allred as Peter
  • Michael Milhoan as Cop
  • John Carroll Lynch as Jack Irwin
  • Steve Berra as Hal
  • Eva Amurri, Susan Sarandon s Daughter, cameo appearance as a stude at Beverly Hills High School on Ann s first day.

Production

The film was primarily shot in Los Angeles locations, particularly sites like Beverly Hills High School, the Beverly Hills Hotel, LAX Airport, and Westwood Village.

Release

Box office

The film opened at #5 at the North American box office and made $5.6 million USD in its opening weekend.

Critical reception

The film received positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes it has a score of 64% based on reviews from 89 critics. The website s consensus reads: The strong chemistry between Susan Sarandon and Natalie Portman as a mother and daughter trying to make a fresh start in L.A. helps to elevate Anywhere But Here above its occasional forays into melodrama.

Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film three stars and noted The movie s interest is not in the plot, which is episodic and colorful, but in the performances. Sarandon bravely makes Adele into a person who is borderline insufferable. Sarandon s role is trickier and more difficult, but Portman s will get the attention. In Anywhere But Here, she gets yanked along by her out of control mother, and her best scenes are when she fights back, not emotionally, but with incisive observations.

Accolades

Golden Globe Awards

  • Nominated – Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture – Natalie Portman

Young Artist Awards

  • Nominated – Best Performance in a Feature Film – Leading Young Actress – Natalie Portman

Hollywood Makeup Artist and Hair Stylist Guild Awards

  • Nominated – Best Contemporary Hair Styling (Feature) – Paul LeBlanc

Soundtrack

Anywhere But Here: Music from the Motion Picture
Soundtrack album by

Various Artists
Released November 2, 1999
Genre Pop
Length 59:25
Label Atlantic/Wea.
Producer Danny Elfman, Steve Power, Lisa Loeb, Michael Beinhorn, Malcolm Burn, Marius de Vries, Joe Hardy, Jay Joyce, k.d. lang, Pierre Marchand, Rick Nowels, Carmen Rizzo, Glenn Rosenstein, Don Was, Wilbur C. Rimes, Ellen Segal, Pocket Size, Billy Harvey
Singles from Anywhere But Here: Music from the Motion Picture
  1. Leaving s Not Leaving
    Released: September 28, 1999

A soundtrack to the film was released on November 2, 1999, ten days before the theatrical release. The soundtrack was distributed by Atlantic Records and Wea.

The soundtrack features original music by Lisa Loeb, Danny Elfman and k.d. lang. It also featured tracks by artists such as LeAnn Rimes, Sarah McLachlan, and Pocket Size, as well as other various artists. Rimes song, Leaving s Not Leaving , was released as a B-side track with her single, Big Deal , on September 28, 1999.

No. Title Writer(s) Recording artist(s) Length
1. Anywhere But Here   k.d. lang 3:45
2. Walking   Pocket Size 4:14
3. Scream and Shout   21st Century Girls 3:25
4. Leaving s Not Leaving (feat. string arrangements by David Campbell) Diane Warren LeAnn Rimes 4:53
5. I Wish   Lisa Loeb 2:27
6. Free   Marie Wilson 3:56
7. Amity   Carly Simon and Sally Taylor 3:17
8. Ice Cream   Sarah McLachlan 2:43
9. Furniture   Kacy Crowley 3:29
10. Twisted Road   Patty Griffin 2:48
11. Strange Wind   Poe 3:59
12. Everything Around Me Is Changing   Sinéad Lohan 4:42
13. Come Here   Lili Haydn, Rick Boston 4:22
14. Chotee   Bif Naked 3:50
15. Anywhere But Here Score Suite   Danny Elfman 7:35
Total length: 59:25

Year 1999
ReleaseDate 1999-11-12
RuntimeMins 114
RuntimeStr 1h 54min
Plot A mother and daughter search for success in Beverly Hills.
Awards Awards, 4 nominations
Directors Wayne Wang
Writers Mona Simpson, Alvin Sargent
Stars Susan Sarandon, Natalie Portman, Hart Bochner
Produced by Petra Alexandria,Laurence Mark,Ginny Nugent
Music by Danny Elfman
Cinematography by Roger Deakins
Film Editing by Nicholas C. Smith
Casting By Victoria Thomas
Production Design by Donald Graham Burt
Art Direction by Kevin Constant
Set Decoration by Barbara Munch
Costume Design by Betsy Heimann
Makeup Department Ma Kalaadevi Ananda,Bonnie Clevering,Paul LeBlanc,Bob Mills,Cyndi Reece-Thorne
Production Management Donna E. Bloom
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director Lorien Gray,Betsy Magruder,Rusty Mahmood,Jonathan McGarry
Art Department George Atamian,Bruce Di Valerio,Sara Gardner-Gail,Canada Johanna Gordon,Michael Goss,Chad Hagaman,Robert W. Harbour,Werner Hoetzinger,Richard Kasper,Jeffrey Kushon,Sean Mannion,Todd McKibben,Patti McNulty,Luigi Mugavero,Michael Pennington,Nicholas Rymond,Theodore Sharps,Larry J. White II,Julie Witherington
Sound Department Sandina Bailo-Lape,Jennifer Barin,Christopher Barron,Raul A. Bruce,Mark DeSimone,Tony Eckert,Joseph Geisinger,Jonathan Greber,J.R. Grubbs,Gabriel Guy,Samuel H. Hinckley,Lora Hirschberg,Bobby Johanson,Stephen Kearney,Sean Landeros,Mark Lindow,Diane Linn,David Lucarelli,Joan Malloch,James Marchione,Yvette Marxer,Frank Pepe Merel,Peggy Names,Brandon Proctor,Charleen Richards,Gary A. Rizzo,John Roesch,Marcie Romano,Ronald G. Roumas,Susan Sanford,Dee Selby,Michael Silvers,Kent Sparling,Greg Steele,Dianna Stirpe,Dennie Thorpe,John Torrijos,Jana Vance,Christian von Burkleo,Christopher Boyes,Tod Chapman,Mark DeSimone,Thomas Giordano,Pete Horner,Bobby Johanson,Brandon Proctor,John Soukup,Kent Sparling
Special Effects by Dan Edwards,Dale Ettema,Scott Garcia,David P. Kelsey,Jeffrey Knott,Jeffrey Machit,R. Bruce Steinheimer
Visual Effects by Brian Hanable,Rich Thorne
Stunts Bob Bralver,Glory Fioramonti
Camera and Electrical Department Antar Abderrahman Jr.,Josh Blakeslee,John Bonnin,Peter Clemence,Alan Colbert,Scott Crabbe,Dhamarata Dhiensuwana,Clinton Dougherty,Curtis Failor,Tommy Hooper Flanagan,Steven Frohardt,Bruce Hamme,David Katz,Ivan H. Migel,Jonathon E. Salzman,Lorey Sebastian,Don Telles,Christopher Wiggins,Chris Zamoscianyk,James Frederick,Michael Grady,Vich Thiensuwana
Casting Department Nina Barry,Kim Coleman,Johnny Gidcomb,Michele Short,Wendy Weidman
Costume and Wardrobe Department Patia Prouty,Nava R. Sadan,Lori Stilson
Editorial Department Rob Bonz,Shannon Carey,Fred Chandler,Karman Graham,Kurt Leitner,Tara McKinley,Kevin D. Ross,Roy Waldspurger
Location Management Terri L. Burns,Kristi Frankenheimer,Eric Klosterman,Jay Traynor,Kristan Wagner
Music Department Deva Anderson,Bryony Atkinson,Steve Bartek,Tom Brown,David Campbell,Dan Coleman,George Doering,Monique Donnelly,Robert Fernandez,Inara George,Daniel Gold,Jim Hoffman,Lisa Donovan Lukas,Larry Newman,John O Brien,John Rodd,Dennis Sager,Marni Sanders,Ellen Segal,Fletcher Sheridan,Edgardo Simone,Steven L. Smith,James Thatcher,Danielle Diego,Ellen Ginsburg
Script and Continuity Department Marion Tumen
Transportation Department Lyle Christensen,William P. Lafon
Additional Crew Chad Ahrendt,Wendy Altman-Cohen,Susan Boyajian,Joe Cappelletti,Darrin Clubb,Corey L.D. Cook,Martha Cronin,Wendy Renskowski Dale,Jennifer S. Deayton,Linda E. Degus,David Dore,Gregory Dunigan,Lori Evans,Gary A. Gibson,Carla Hacken,Wade Hagen,Judith Jennings,Robert A. Levine,Andrew Magarian,Marc Mann,Eric Mansur,Montez A. Monroe,Nancy Neumann,David Orr,Karen Scarborough,Mark Sussman,David Waters,Eckhard Dilssner,Bobby Shue
Genres Comedy, Drama
Companies Fox 2000 Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox
Countries USA
Languages English
ContentRating PG-13
ImDbRating 6.1
ImDbRatingVotes 18028
MetacriticRating 59
Keywords hollywood california,teenager,teenage girl,female protagonist,teen angst
Year 1999
ReleaseDate 1999-11-12
RuntimeMins 114
RuntimeStr 1h 54min
Plot A mother and daughter search for success in Beverly Hills.
Awards Awards, 4 nominations
Directors Wayne Wang
Writers Mona Simpson, Alvin Sargent
Stars Susan Sarandon, Natalie Portman, Hart Bochner
Produced by Petra Alexandria,Laurence Mark,Ginny Nugent
Music by Danny Elfman
Cinematography by Roger Deakins
Film Editing by Nicholas C. Smith
Casting By Victoria Thomas
Production Design by Donald Graham Burt
Art Direction by Kevin Constant
Set Decoration by Barbara Munch
Costume Design by Betsy Heimann
Makeup Department Ma Kalaadevi Ananda,Bonnie Clevering,Paul LeBlanc,Bob Mills,Cyndi Reece-Thorne
Production Management Donna E. Bloom
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director Lorien Gray,Betsy Magruder,Rusty Mahmood,Jonathan McGarry
Art Department George Atamian,Bruce Di Valerio,Sara Gardner-Gail,Canada Johanna Gordon,Michael Goss,Chad Hagaman,Robert W. Harbour,Werner Hoetzinger,Richard Kasper,Jeffrey Kushon,Sean Mannion,Todd McKibben,Patti McNulty,Luigi Mugavero,Michael Pennington,Nicholas Rymond,Theodore Sharps,Larry J. White II,Julie Witherington
Sound Department Sandina Bailo-Lape,Jennifer Barin,Christopher Barron,Raul A. Bruce,Mark DeSimone,Tony Eckert,Joseph Geisinger,Jonathan Greber,J.R. Grubbs,Gabriel Guy,Samuel H. Hinckley,Lora Hirschberg,Bobby Johanson,Stephen Kearney,Sean Landeros,Mark Lindow,Diane Linn,David Lucarelli,Joan Malloch,James Marchione,Yvette Marxer,Frank Pepe Merel,Peggy Names,Brandon Proctor,Charleen Richards,Gary A. Rizzo,John Roesch,Marcie Romano,Ronald G. Roumas,Susan Sanford,Dee Selby,Michael Silvers,Kent Sparling,Greg Steele,Dianna Stirpe,Dennie Thorpe,John Torrijos,Jana Vance,Christian von Burkleo,Christopher Boyes,Tod Chapman,Mark DeSimone,Thomas Giordano,Pete Horner,Bobby Johanson,Brandon Proctor,John Soukup,Kent Sparling
Special Effects by Dan Edwards,Dale Ettema,Scott Garcia,David P. Kelsey,Jeffrey Knott,Jeffrey Machit,R. Bruce Steinheimer
Visual Effects by Brian Hanable,Rich Thorne
Stunts Bob Bralver,Glory Fioramonti
Camera and Electrical Department Antar Abderrahman Jr.,Josh Blakeslee,John Bonnin,Peter Clemence,Alan Colbert,Scott Crabbe,Dhamarata Dhiensuwana,Clinton Dougherty,Curtis Failor,Tommy Hooper Flanagan,Steven Frohardt,Bruce Hamme,David Katz,Ivan H. Migel,Jonathon E. Salzman,Lorey Sebastian,Don Telles,Christopher Wiggins,Chris Zamoscianyk,James Frederick,Michael Grady,Vich Thiensuwana
Casting Department Nina Barry,Kim Coleman,Johnny Gidcomb,Michele Short,Wendy Weidman
Costume and Wardrobe Department Patia Prouty,Nava R. Sadan,Lori Stilson
Editorial Department Rob Bonz,Shannon Carey,Fred Chandler,Karman Graham,Kurt Leitner,Tara McKinley,Kevin D. Ross,Roy Waldspurger
Location Management Terri L. Burns,Kristi Frankenheimer,Eric Klosterman,Jay Traynor,Kristan Wagner
Music Department Deva Anderson,Bryony Atkinson,Steve Bartek,Tom Brown,David Campbell,Dan Coleman,George Doering,Monique Donnelly,Robert Fernandez,Inara George,Daniel Gold,Jim Hoffman,Lisa Donovan Lukas,Larry Newman,John O Brien,John Rodd,Dennis Sager,Marni Sanders,Ellen Segal,Fletcher Sheridan,Edgardo Simone,Steven L. Smith,James Thatcher,Danielle Diego,Ellen Ginsburg
Script and Continuity Department Marion Tumen
Transportation Department Lyle Christensen,William P. Lafon
Additional Crew Chad Ahrendt,Wendy Altman-Cohen,Susan Boyajian,Joe Cappelletti,Darrin Clubb,Corey L.D. Cook,Martha Cronin,Wendy Renskowski Dale,Jennifer S. Deayton,Linda E. Degus,David Dore,Gregory Dunigan,Lori Evans,Gary A. Gibson,Carla Hacken,Wade Hagen,Judith Jennings,Robert A. Levine,Andrew Magarian,Marc Mann,Eric Mansur,Montez A. Monroe,Nancy Neumann,David Orr,Karen Scarborough,Mark Sussman,David Waters,Eckhard Dilssner,Bobby Shue
Genres Comedy, Drama
Companies Fox 2000 Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox
Countries USA
Languages English
ContentRating PG-13
ImDbRating 6.1
ImDbRatingVotes 18028
MetacriticRating 59
Keywords hollywood california,teenager,teenage girl,female protagonist,teen angst