American Venus

Plot Summary

An official selection at the Toronto Film Festival, American Venus was written and directed by Bruce Sweeny (Dirty). The film explores the dynamics of a really dysfunctional mother/daughter relationship. Jenna Lane (Jane McGregor) is a young woman trying to escape family pressure to become an Olympic athlete and define her own individuality. Her mother is Celia (Rebecca De Mornay), a deeply disturbed, emotionally abusive woman with a thing for handguns. As she attempts to manipulate Jenna and feed her addictions, Celia grows increasingly irrational and ultimately spirals out of control. From IFC Films.