This movie is such a gem, artistic, raw and tells a riveting story about a woman who wants the world to perceive her as strong willed and independent. She appears to have a hard exterior, teaching her daughter how to be the same way, not realizing the truth about her mother until she is away from her. Astrid is naive about her mother at first, viewing her as if her mother is strong, creative, loving, nurturing but underneath it all, she is arrogant and self absorbed. Astrid's world gets turned upside down when her mother's obsession with her new boyfriend turns deadly.
Astrid is played by Alison Lohman and her mother, Ingrid, is played by Michelle Pfeiffer both gave outstanding performances. Ingrid is tough and tries to give life lessons to Astrid, only in the end, Ingrid weakens. She falters when she meets a man she falls for who doesn't fall for her and knowing of her arrogance, she lashes out. Astrid is conflicted, trying to comprehend the crashing world around her, being thrown into foster homes, not knowing how to deal with certain emotions. Seeing her mother in jail, being told one thing, then staying in a home that has different beliefs, her perceptions are in a whirlwind.
She cuts her hair short and toughens up, feeling like no one is on her side, her trust is tainted so she keeps to herself. She then meets Paul who at first, she avoids but then after he draws her a picture, she gives him a chance. They become friends and share an interest in art together, causing a romance to bud between them. Their first kiss is so sweet and innocent, nothing expected just a soft moment. But then she leaves because she is taken in by a couple who wants to adopt to fill the void in their own relationship. Renee Zellweger plays as Claire, once an actress, now a stay at home wife. She has a husband, Mark, played by Noah Wyle who's always away from home. Things change when Claire writes letters to Ingrid, convincing Astrid to meet. Ingrid, being manipulative and powerful with words, uses them to drive Claire into a depressing spiral which in turn, ends tragically for her.
Again, Astrid is sent back to the center, feeling abandoned and alone. Her mother tries to dig her claws in but Astrid breaks away, now realizing how destructive she is. Questioning her mother's outlook on the world, she ventures off and makes decisions on her own finally. She was brainwashed by her mother ever since an infant, making her see her mother as a perfect image, not a human being. As the film progresses, she sees her mother for who she truly is and when she realizes it, she asks her to let her go.
The last scene when Astrid asks Ingrid all of those questions, it sheds light on the truth about her mother. How egotistical, how selfish, how cold her mother truly was, it all was revealed to her. The best decision that Ingrid makes, is to finally let Astrid go....
This film is profound, it reaches into your heartstrings and pulls on every single one of them. I feel that Astrid is very relatable, watching as her character grows throughout the film. She takes off the rose colored glasses and sees the world for what it really is, even if she is forced. We watch her go through many phases in her life and by the end of it, she learns from every experience. She learns that even though her mother is far from perfect, she still loves her. It's about forgiveness even when it's a hard pill to swallow, you take the pain with the clarity.
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