Anywhere But Here (1999)

No holiday season is complete without Susan Sarandon doing the mother bit. In "Anywhere But Here," she's wacky mom Adele August, and the part affords much gabby outlet for her flirty comic gifts.

Natalie Portman has her innate, manic charm as the other half of this dysfunctional pair, daughter Ann. However, this too-pat film is merely a repetitive series of scenes of bickering between them, culminating in tearful cuddles.

Alvin Sargent's script does little to improve on Mona Simpson's unaccountably acclaimed book. (Sample line: "When life gets rough, and you only have a dime in your pocket, go out and get your shoes shined.")

Tamara Jenkins' "Slums of Beverly Hills" covered similar ground in far wittier, more affecting fashion. None of this, especially the Augusts' supposedly strained circumstances, is believable in the least. (They stay in shoddy motels but have a lavishly gifted Christmas.) Adele gets some rote romantic interest in reliable Hart Bochner, as an orthodontist named Dr. Spritzer(!).

Director Wayne Wang, now officially typed as a ladies' man, largely stays out of his formidable actresses' way. With cinematographer Roger Deakins, he's given the film a handsome look. The schizophrenic ugly/gorgeous vistas of L.A. are fully, if a bit glossily, captured.

*MPAA rating: PG-13, for sex-related material.

"Anywhere But Here"

Susan Sarandon: Adele August

Natalie Portman: Ann August

Ellen Ryan: Lillian

Ray Baker: Ted

John Diehl: Jimmy

Shawn Hatosy: Benny

Bonnie Bedelia: Carol

Faran Tahir: Hisham

A 20th Century Fox presentation. Director Wayne Wang. Producer Laurence Mark. Screenplay Alvin Sargent. Novel Mona Simpson. Director of Photography Roger Deakins. Editor Nicholas C. Smith. Music Danny Elfman. Production Designer Donald Graham Burt. Costume Designer Betsy Heimann. Art Director Kevin Constant. Set Decorator Barbara Munch. Set Designers Peter Harbour and Theodore Sharps. Running time: 1 hours, 51 minutes.