It was directed by Wayne Wang from a screenplay by Alvin Sargent, and stars Susan Sarandon, Natalie Portman, and Shawn Hatosy.

Adele August and her reluctant teenage daughter, Ann, leave their small town in Wisconsin and move to Beverly Hills.

Upon his return home, Adele is notified that Benny has tragically died in a car accident, leaving Ann distraught.

Back home, Ann begins dating her crush, Peter, interested in experiencing sex for the first time after she turns seventeen.

Ann works part-time in a supermarket and attends acting auditions, but continues to emphasize her desire to go to Brown.

[4][5] Natalie Portman became attached to star as the co-lead and left her role on Broadway's The Diary of Anne Frank to commit to the film.

[7] Director Wayne Wang initially kept some of the book's darker elements in the film, such as a suggestion of domestic abuse.

The website's consensus reads: "The strong chemistry between Susan Sarandon and Natalie Portman as a mother and daughter trying to make a fresh start in L.A. helps to elevate Anywhere But Here above its occasional forays into melodrama.

"[10] Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film three stars and noted "The movie's interest is not in the plot, which is episodic and 'colorful,' but in the performances.