Starring Susan Sarandon and Natalie Portman
Directed by Wayne Wang
As with his earlier film The Joy Luck Club (1993), Chinese director Wayne Wang tackles mother-daughter relationships in this coming-of-age drama. Susan Sarandon (Speed Racer) stars as Adele August, a Wisconsin-based mother who longs for a more exciting and glamorous life in Beverly Hills, California. She leaves her husband and packs her reluctant daughter Ann (Portman, The Other Boleyn Girl) into a gold Mercedes Benz bound for L.A.

When they arrive and move into an apartment they can't really afford, it becomes clear that Ann is the mature half of the duo, while Adele, a dreamer, is not firmly grounded in reality. Her plans include Ann's future career as an actress (a profession in which the girl has no interest) and landing a rich and handsome husband for herself. When a family tragedy provokes a crisis between mother and daughter, the irresponsible Adele is forced to become a traditional mum for once.

“Sarandon and Portman work beautifully -- together, negotiating a range of emotional keys that blend comedy and drama in the same moment.” – Edward Guthmann, San Francisco Chronicle