SLUMS OF BEVERLY HILLS – 1998
Starring: Natasha Lyonne, Alan Arkin
Director: Tamara Jenkins
Genre: Independent
Language: English

A hilarious, offbeat, coming-of-age comedy that likes its humor dark, raunchy and estrogen-laden. Set in 1976, the film stars Natasha Lyonne as Vivian Abromowitz, a motherless teenager living with her well-meaning but weird dad (Alan Arkin) and two brothers. Nominated for an Independent Spirit Award, director Tamara Jenkins's dramedy follows 1970s teen Vivian (Natasha Lyonne) as she continually tries to survive one more day with her family. Her washed-up used-car salesman dad, Murray (Alan Arkin), is determined to keep his family in Beverly Hills "for the schools," and Vivian would just as soon be rid of him and her cousin Rita (Marisa Tomei), who's fresh from rehab and full of good ideas.