Slums of Beverly Hills Review

Slums Of Beverly Hills is a delightful, autobiographical debut from writer-director Tamara Jenkins. Back in 1976, Vivian, Natasha Lyonne, was a troubled teen, troubled at the way her body was developing and by the fact that her impoverished, divorced father (Alan Arkin) kept moving her and her brothers from apartment to apartment - always within the Beverly Hills school district, because education, he feels, is more important than furniture. Beverly Hills is a pretty swish part of LA, but even in Beverly Hills there are pretty cheap "bachelor" apartments - not exactly slums, but basic. Vivian`s best friend is her cousin, Rita, Marisa Tomei - Rita`s just out of de-tox and she`s pregnant - not perhaps the best role model. Meanwhile Dad romances a rich, fastidious widow, Jessica Walter, and attempts to extract money from his wealthy brother, Carl Reiner. Alan Arkin, always a delight, and newcomer Natasha Lyonne are simply terrific in this immensely sympathetic and often funny comedy - a comedy firmly rooted in painful real-life memories and experiences, and one that should keep you chuckling happily as the embarrassing escapades of Vivian and her family unfold.