Anywhere But Here

Adele and Ann leave their small town in Wisconsin and relocate to Beverly Hills. They move into a run-down apartment and start over in a city that seems glamorous but is challenging to navigate. Adele hopes Ann will become a Hollywood actress, even though Ann wants to attend Brown University. They both adjust to a very different life while Adele secures a job as a speech-language pathologist at a high school in a rough part of town.

On a day at the beach, Adele meets Josh, a handsome orthodontist. They date and have sex, and Adele falls in love with him. But Josh dumps her for a younger woman, leaving Adele heartbroken.

After the breakup, Adele improvises day to day, often unable to pay the bills. Financial strain grows and she eventually quits her job. This marks a turning point as Adele struggles to support herself and Ann.

With money tight and life unsettled, Adele and Ann spend their days together while trying to navigate a new city. Ann grows tired of her mother's eccentric behavior and dreams of running away. The tension between them hints at a fragile balance between love and frustration.

Cousin Benny visits Los Angeles, but on his way back home he dies in a car accident. Adele and Ann attend his funeral in Bay City, where Adele confronts her intoxicated brother-in-law. The tragedy deepens Ann's distress and tests their bond.

Around her seventeenth birthday, Ann begins dating her crush Peter and explores the idea of sex for the first time. Her friends encourage her and help her reach out to her estranged father, but he isn't pleased to hear from her. This episode foreshadows Ann's push toward adulthood.

Adele lands a new job in a care home as a speech therapist, and she also gives makeup and style tips to the elderly residents. The job brings a steadier paycheck and a new rhythm to their days.

Ann works part-time in a supermarket and attends acting auditions, still determined to attend Brown University. She balances gigs with rehearsals and auditions, driven by her dream even as money remains tight.

To help fund Ann's dream, Adele sells her expensive Mercedes and redirects the money toward tuition. The bold sacrifice signals Adele's shift from self-preservation to active support of her daughter's future. This mutual commitment underlines the evolving dynamic between them.

At the airport, Adele and Ann part ways as Ann goes off to college. They tell each other they love one another, and Ann admits that she can't imagine life without her mother.