Slums of Beverly Hills (1998 Tamara Jenkins & scr)

Before this she made two shorts, the second - Family Remains (1993) - won a Jury recognition prize at Sundance, who helped make this film. 1976: Natasha Lyonne (Heartburn, when she was about 6, Orange is the New Black, Russian Doll, the upcoming The United States vs. Billie Holliday) essentially has to negotiate adolescence on her own as her mother's not in the picture. Loser father Alan Arkin and brothers David Krumholz and Eli Marienthal are no help.

We wondered whether Tamara's an autobiographical film-maker. Turns out her father was a failing and elderly salesman with money problems exacerbated by a gambling problem, they were poor, the character is based on her etc. (though she had to be equipped with prosthetic breasts).

Marisa Tomei is the aunt who comes to stay (thus her dad Carl Reiner funds a nice apartment for them), Kevin Corrigan is the dope dealer neighbour.

Pamela Martin's the editor - you feel she likes working with new / indie directors. One of the people thanked at the end is Steven Zaillian.

It seems to me that Tamara likes to show people in their underwear - a sort of revealing device at work?