White Oleander

Play trailer

White Oleander

PG-13

2002

1h 50m

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

69%

Tomatometer

134 Reviews

81%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

"White Oleander" chronicles the life of Astrid (Alison Lohman), a young teenager who journeys through a series of foster homes after her mother (Michelle Pfeiffer) goes to prison for committing a crime of passion. Set adrift in the world, Astrid struggles to become her own person while coming to terms with the challenges of living life on her own.

Watch on Fandango

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

Strong performances by the lead actresses make White Oleander a compelling female melodrama.

Read Critics Reviews

Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Dec 29, 2010

4/5

Upsetting and dark, for older than PG-13.

Go to Full Review

Eleanor Ringel Cater

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Oct 19, 2002

B+

A smart, compelling drama.

Go to Full Review

Richard Roeper

Ebert & Roeper

Oct 14, 2002

The film is worth seeing for its honest heart and for the magnificent acting.

Go to Full Review

Debbie Lynn Elias

Behind The Lens

Nov 6, 2019

Director Peter Kosminsky ... is unfortunately not up to the task at hand, giving us a product one would expect to see on Lifetime, not one that requires payment for an admission ticket.

Go to Full Review

Joel Siegel

Good Morning America

Jan 4, 2018

C+

White Oleander is one of the those movies you watch and think, "Yeah, I bet the book was great."

Go to Full Review

Felix Vasquez Jr.

Cinema Crazed

Apr 29, 2009

Delivers in the range of cast and involving story.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Diaulas F

@RT13630323 3 days ago

Esse filme é ótimo. Michelle Pfeiffer tem uma de suas melhores atuações

See more

Thyaagu C

@Thyaagu Jul 23, 2026

3.75 ⭐️ A life shaped by scars, told without self pity. Some films scream their sadness. This one simply lets you live with it.

See more

Jamie P

@RT42213047 Jul 1, 2026

Such a great, underrated movie

See more

Titus A

@Titus_Andronicus Apr 8, 2026

Amazing, emotional, powerfully honest, great film with incredible acting from all the actresses. These kind of quality dramas about real life horrors are under appreciated due to their brutal honesty and reflection of humanity that most humans refuse to look at and just are not made at this level and quality, or at all these days.

See more

Meri S.

@mschroeder Oct 6, 2025

Great cast with some amazing female actresses.

See more

Sway M

@RT58535466 Jul 8, 2025

The movie leaves out so much of the book, so many characters and experiences that help shape Astrid. An episodic remake could really do this story justice.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Peter Kosminsky

Director

Alison Lohman

Astrid Magnussen

Robin Wright

Starr

Michelle Pfeiffer

Ingrid Magnussen

Renée Zellweger

Claire Richards

Billy Connolly

Barry Kolker

I Am Sam

35%

86%

I Am Sam

Watchlist

I Love You, I Love You Not

40%

40%

I Love You, I Love You Not

Watchlist

The Company

72%

49%

The Company

Watchlist

Sunshine State

80%

58%

Sunshine State

Watchlist

The Deep End of the Ocean

42%

58%

The Deep End of the Ocean

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

"White Oleander" chronicles the life of Astrid (Alison Lohman), a young teenager who journeys through a series of foster homes after her mother (Michelle Pfeiffer) goes to prison for committing a crime of passion. Set adrift in the world, Astrid struggles to become her own person while coming to terms with the challenges of living life on her own.

Director: Peter Kosminsky
Producer: John Wells, Hunt Lowry
Screenwriter: Mary Agnes Donoghue, Janet Fitch
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Gaylord Films, John Wells Productions, Oleandor Productions
Rating: PG-13 (Language|Drug Content|Mature Thematic Elements|Sexuality|Violence)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 11, 2002, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 1, 2010
Box Office (Gross USA): $16.3M
Runtime: 1h 50m
Sound Mix: Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby Stereo, Surround, SDDS, Dolby A, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

Join The Newsletter

Join The Newsletter

Cookie Settings