Anywhere but Here (1999)
Directed by Wayne Wang
Single mother Adele August is bad with money, and even worse when it comes to making decisions. Her straight-laced daughter, Ann, is a successful high school student with Ivy League aspirations. When Adele decides to pack up and move the two of them from the Midwest to Beverly Hills, Calif., to pursue her dreams of Hollywood success, Ann grows frustrated with her mother's irresponsible and impulsive ways.
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What critics compared Anywhere but Here to
It's an empathic performance -- even eclipsing the heartfelt ones she gave in Beautiful Girls and Anywhere But Here -- and her compassion eventually wears off on us: It's hard not to laugh, weep or ruminate right along with her character.
In the supporting cast arena, Ashley Johnson (1999's "Anywhere But Here") has the most significant role, and is highly effective as Nick's bitter daughter Alex. Johnson paints Alex as a realistic, likable, if occasionally stubborn teenager, and has what are questionably the best scenes in the movie, including a delightful montage of Nick helping her to pick a prom dress, and a late, heartfelt scene where, for the first time in her life, Alex finds herself being able to open up to her father.