Sunshine Cleaning

Not another premise movie, gosh! This is a movie with no ambition beyond its kitschy idea. It's a display of some writing team's creativity, filmed with the hope that you admire their "cool movie topic". The idea is unoriginal and improperly presented as comedy. In Sunshine Cleaning, Amy Adams and Emily Blunt clean blood off the walls of homes where people died. This could be funny if the movie abandoned any pretense of seriousness but it doesn't. In between cleaning sequences, melodrama is needlessly introduced. Because this is a bad premise movie, what happens between characters has little to do with the premise. At least one interaction involves the plot in some way. Amy Adams plays Rose Lorkowski, a has-been maid who never succeeded at doing anything other than being pretty. Her sister Norah (Emily Blunt) does not seem to have matured past age 16 and still enjoys partying with younger people. These two characters do not bother me, but Alan Arkin should not have been cast as Joe, their father. Norah, with blue highlights, could be mistaken as Joe's young adult granddaughter. Arkin is typecast in the same role he had in Little Miss Sunshine. Alan's supporting role in that film was superb because it was part of the larger narrative. In Sunshine Cleaning, his dialog with his grandchild is tangential to overarching story. Instead of supporting the film's general humor, it becomes isolated and ineffective over time. Rose and Norah learn that cleaning gore would net them higher income than traditional maid services and unemployment and they begin working. This is funny for a few scenes. Seeing the aftermath of a crime is not intrinsically funny, however. Something has to happen to make it so. Maybe a few lines from the victim's family about how they will save money since grandpa kicked the can or how they won't have to buy birthday presents would be OK. We only see a victim's family member one time and she is disturbed. Rose cries too. People aren't supposed to cry like that in comedies. Emotional tears are reserved for dramas, romances, and horror films. If categorized as drama Sunshine Cleaning also flounders. Too much emphasis is given to visual sensation. The gore and Rose's one-armed love interest detract from what we are asked to care about. With its serious tone and occasionally lighthearted moments, I suggest someone remake this movie as a horror film. Plans fall apart when Norah accidentally ignites a house she was cleaning while Rose attends a baby shower for a friend. Rose and Norah do not speak again until the plot demands it. They are financially and ethically bankrupt now, so why not use that to their advantage? Joe proposes their "sunshine cleaning" should continue in another city with Norah uninvolved. And the cycle is to continue I guess. All while the movie's internal clock moves, Rose's son does not attend school. Apparently he is too weird and bothers other students. Dare I not ascertain why. It's a contrivance that Joe uses to force humor. Sunshine Cleaning should be congratulated for not adhering to the clichés of independent cinema. It is neither funny nor heartfelt. This movie could have been a character study, comedy, drama, romance, or even horror film had it been directed with insight. As it is, the film jumbles elements of all genres without deciding which it wishes to be. ** out of *****

From PASTO, COLOMBIA-Via: L. A. CA; CALI, COLOMBIA+ORLANDO, FL --------------The ONLY Tony Kiss Castillo on FaceBook!------------------- Cinema that provokes a strong reaction from me, for good or for bad, is easier to review. "Movies in the Middle", like "SUNSHINE", always present much more of a challenge. "From the same people who brought you 'Little Miss Sunshine'" This phrase was used a lot in the SUNSHINE promos. Maybe it got in the way of me getting more out of the film. It didn't set very well with me that A) Both titles employ the word "SUNSHINE". B) Alan Arkin basically does a warmed over version of his"Little Miss"role C) Both films are about dysfunctional families with a precocious child. Taken as a whole, it just seemed too obvious that "The same people who brought you" wanted desperately to cash in, AGAIN, and SUNSHINE(2?)is just a vehicle for doing so! Still, it does have ingratiating qualities. If you can tolerate the slow as molasses initial 30 minutes(OK-Wait, make that as DELIBERATE as Molasses!), you'll probably feel it was worth your while, a pretty good little indie film, which could easily have been a lot better. Catharsis, healing, coping, forgiveness and moving on, are some of the operative buzz-words for "Sunshine Cleaning". Perhaps just a tad too dreary for such a cheery title? "Sunshine" would have benefited from the injection of just a little more comic relief in the mix. The acting fell a little short of expectation. With Amy Adams (Junebug/Doubt) and Emily Blunt (The Devil Wears Prada) perhaps my expectations were too high! Something was missing. The script was spotty and rather lackluster at times. The on-screen chemistry was variable. Often, Alan Arkin's presence seemed to be a hindrance to the flow and balance of the scene and the story. SUNSHINE did have a very down-to-earth, realistic feel to it. The problems, reactions to them, and solutions encountered, or not, as the case may be, were believable and mundane; stuff that we all can relate too. Immediately after viewing, I had settled on a 6 Star rating, thinking "Sunshine" was going to be sans ricocheting...But, there has been a little of that going on in that 'Id' of mine, hours after viewing. So, we'll up it to 7 Stars!.....ENJOY!/DISFRUTELA! Any comments, questions or observations, in English, o en Español, are most welcome!

There is something missing with this film - it is not complete. There is only a glimpse into a few days of these character's lives. Amy Adams is great, but Alan Arkin is turning into a caricature actor - this is NOT Little Miss Sunshine. The film's setting is New Mexico and is beautifully filmed. Amy Adams' Rose is "strong and a winner" as she tells herself each morning from a Post-It on her bathroom mirror. Then why is she stuck in a going nowhere affair with her married, ex-jock high school boyfriend? Emily Blunt's Norah also has issues - she cannot keep a waitress job at a "restaurant" that is really a lunch counter which does not need a waitress. There are tragic family issues beyond the Dad's business schemes that do not work out. And the crime scene cleanup business does not work out the character's or the family's issues. There are some cute scenes and some touching scenes; but this film leaves many, many questions unanswered.

This movie is a study in mediocrity. This is what American indie has become. I am not very fond with the American indie movie scene at the moment. It has become about folksiness, and "this is your life" situations. What it hasn't realized is that Hallmark movies have been doing this since forever, and it has never been very good. So indie movies think they can quirk it up a little and put the indie label on it, and it'll fly. And for the most part it does. That is Sunshine Cleaning. A single mother (Amy Adams) raising her son (Jason Spevack) in Albuquerque turns to cleaning up crime scenes with her screw-up of a sister (Emily Blunt). And they have a dad who's always up for get rich quick schemes (Alan Arkin). Doesn't it sound like every movie ever? And it basically is. I must admit, there is not much exceedingly good in the movie. The highlight is Clifton Collins Jr.'s acting. He makes a one-armed, mustachioed industrial cleaning vendor very likable, and the parts involving him and Amy Adams are wonderful. Because Adams is also acting wonderfully, as always, in her best role as the always happy heroine.. It's the small things in this movie that frustrate. Like how the kid works as the balance in the movie. When it gets to heavy, he says, "I want a sandwich." When it gets too light, he asks, "What happens when we die." And we're supposed to go, "Oh, kids say the darndest things," but it's hard to excuse. Or the half-hearted attempts at actual jokes. Or how the screw-up sister screws up. Or how all the people are exactly like you think they are, just typecasts. How the movie leaves loose plot strings all over the place. Little Miss Sunshine got it right. It explored the darkness and the levity. It was happy. It too had a quirky family going on a roadtrip. It started in Albaquerque. It was indie. It had all the same elements, and yet, worked. It worked because it was on the move. Because it knew it was a comedy with dramatic elements. Because it had a focus and solid characters. Characters that worked on their own, that weren't symbols, but their own entities. That's what Little Miss Sunshine had, and what Sunshine Cleaning lacks. But it's made capably enough. It's not terrible. Many people like it. And if you want to relate to typical suffering in the world, but not feel too bad, it's probably a good one for you. It's a movie that won't challenge you in any way, and it's a departure from mainstream cinema. So whatever. Sunshine Cleaning is a bust.

Amy Adams caught my attention in "June Bug." Emily Blunt in "The Devil Wears Prada." Since then I've been a little more impressed with Amy Adams' portfolio, not to say Emily hasn't been a busy and talented young lady. But "Enchanted" put a spell on me, and "Doubt" reinforced her "June Bug" award caliber acting chops IMO. So attending the Boulder Film Festival to see this movie was a no-brainer. With that said I was very surprised that Blunt's character was more compelling, more extraordinary. That's not to say that Adams didn't deliver another memorable gem, because she did. I just felt Blunt's performance was a little more indelible, more enduring. "Sunshine Cleaning" has all the right ingredients to be a sleeper break-out hit. It's funny, touching, quirky and authentic. It cross purposes issues of insecurity and family dysfunctionality in an honest yet very wry and witty way--not that unlike "Little Miss Sunshine" which also has the word 'sunshine' in its title as well as the always satisfying Alan Arkin. There was a subplot between Blunt and "24's" Mary Lynn Rajskub that left me wanting more. But outside of that one small complaint, I highly recommend this refreshing drama/comedy. One more thing. A special call out to Clifton Collins Jr. who made being a one-armed hardware store clerk almost cool. Good flick. A satisfyingly good time.

An adulterous ex-cheerleader single Mom, and her psychologically troubled sister fall into starting a bio-hazard cleaning business. Throw in her dysfunctional son and a get quick older father and you have a cure for insomnia.This movie is a drama for lack of a better word. If you are looking for comedy or funny this is not it. This movie is slow, the plot is not well developed and you are left wondering is this story going to start going somewhere. Character development is weak and is hard to identify what they are passionate about or what motivates them except for the sister who can't let go of her dead mother she barely knew. If you have nothing better to do like get an enema I would recommend watching something else, like paint drying. Don't say I didn't warn you, you'll never get that time back.

Rose Lorkowski (Amy Adams) was once a popular cheerleader and a person of envy, back in those high school years. However, she has made some questionable choices since then and now works as a home cleaner to support herself and her young son, Oscar. She does a have a back-up system in her wheeler-dealer father, Joe (Alan Arkin) and in her frequently out-of-work younger sister, Norah (Emily Blunt), if she needs babysitters. She calls upon the eccentric Norah often, especially so that she, Rose, can have a late-night tryst with a married policeman, Mac (Steve Zahn). Ouch, she is still going in the wrong direction, it seems. However, Mac does give her a work tip. If she could get into the "crime scene" cleaning business, she would be pulling in large bucks, as removing blood stains is big stuff. Receiving some leads, Rose does begin to get some assignments, like cleaning up after suicide victims and folks that die in their slovenly homes. Reluctantly, Norah agrees to help and "Sunshine Cleaners" is born. But, with Oscar still having trouble in school and with Mac continuing to string her along in the love department, will Rose really rise above her present circumstances? This is a fine film about people who work hard and get nowhere. First, the cast is great, with Adams, Blunt and Arkin delivering terrific performances, ones worthy of honors. Blunt, especially, is a treasure as the unconventional woman, haunted by past circumstances, and having trouble fitting into "modern" existence. The lesser actors are also nice, but Zahn is, unfortunately, given no chances to show off his comedic touch. The setting in New Mexico is also lovely, while the costumes and look of the film are likewise wonderful. That said, special mention should also go to the very fine, sharply worded script and the secure direction. This is a heart-grabbing story, with unusual elements and unsettling realities. If you love films that are not of the typical, churn-em-out variety, this one is definitely a worthy choice. It is as illuminating as sunshine and as touching as they come.

Of late, independent films seem to fall into three ruts; the quirky indie film, the contrived indie film and the quirkily contrived indie film. Thankfully, for the most part, Sunshine Cleaning manages to avoid these associated pitfalls, and is instead a benchmark for how two sensational performances can succeed in drastically improving the quality of a film. These aforementioned indie clichés are quite the conundrum when looked at thoughtfully. The birth of independent film-making stemmed from creativity and desire to be liberated from the shadow of the major movie conglomerates. Yet now, most of these offbeat flicks are as cold and calculated as any big budget summer movie and often drown in wacky plots and bizarre characters which are not of what free film should be an expression. Starring the consistently stellar and always delightful leading ladies of Amy Adams and Emily Blunt, Sunshine Cleaning tells the bittersweet story of two sisters (Adams and Blunt) and their struggles to purge the horror of their mother's suicide and live normal lives. Adams as Rose and Blunt as Norah are polar opposites; Rose was the head cheerleader in high school and aches to regain that notoriety in her adult life and Norah the 'screw-up', the black sheep of the family. They are held together loosely by Rose's son Oscar and their father (Alan Arkin) that is until they find themselves in need of work. Through a less than professional police connection of Rose's (Steve Zahn) they come to start a crime scene cleanup service called Sunshine Cleaning and while they sought money, they ended up finding something more profound. Adams and Blunt truly are remarkable and give bonafide Oscar worthy performances. Their characters never fall to any deprecating indie quirks, and are fully realized individuals. Zahn is solid in a smaller role, as is Clifton Collins Jr. as a clean-up store owner and all lend to a story that did not by any means conclude where I was suspecting. Many of the subplots are left open, but not in a unsatisfying way and while featuring ups and downs along the way, Sunshine Cleaning manages to find a hopeful tone without being sticky sweet. Perhaps by favourite aspect outside of the performances was Adam's character. We have seen in many films the former cheerleader who has grown up under the shadow of the 'losers' of their school, but never have I seen such an honest look from the view of the former. Perhaps this is a testament to Adams acting skills, but I was impressed nevertheless. Sunshine Cleaning keeps you involved based on characters alone. There is certainly humour, tragedy and emotion to drive the story but all is born from the relationship between this broken family. I wish fresh faced director Christine Jeffs had forgone all the trends of the recent independent film movement, but there is still more then enough to admire about Sunshine Cleaning, and even more to love.

Just saw the film. I thought I might be let down as I've been waiting with anticipation since I saw the trailer on youtube. I can say that not only was I not let down by this film, but that it superseded them in the most refreshing way possible. There was something I noticed about the movie. It had great comical moments, but it was not the funniest film ever. It had great acting, writing, and was filmed beautifully...and yet I'm sure that it is probably not the best film ever. What I loved about it though was that it was NOT like most films of late that try so hard to be the best film ever. You know the ones with the fancy film work and the melodrama...the lines written that are asking for an Oscar. Sometimes those just irritate me because they are trying so hard to be a great film and they forget to tell a great story. The film makers didn't forget that here. I was not distracted by anything. Everything came together in this film that I felt like I knew the people and I wanted to know what happened to them. I liked it because it reminded me that we're all human. I love that.

I quite liked the film. I would watch Amy Adams stare at grass and Emily Blunt is always top notch. One thing that stuck out for me about the film was that it offers a look at real working-class people doing real work, and does so in a respectful manner. Rose tries to put a positive spin on her post-mortem cleanup work to gathered yuppies in an awkward social setting and is clearly defensive. But you can see her coming to value the work for the good it does. There is nothing wrong with adventure thrillers about high crimes and misdemeanors, about the far-too-well-to-do, and about easy lives, but it is heartening to see hard-scrabble work valued, not just as a barrier to be overcome but as a thing that has intrinsic value and that does real good. Rose and Nora take on work that the yuppie ladies would never dream of tackling, and do real good for real people. This is a film that does not dazzle us with fireworks or glitter, but it has heart. We like that.