Sunshine Cleaning [Blu-ray]

A must see for all Amy Adams fans.

"Sunshine Cleaning" (2009) is probably most like "Tender Mercies" (1983) and I recommend it to anyone who enjoyed that film. But it is not quite as pure and restrained in its storytelling techniques; there are several visual flashbacks and bit of "Junebug" (2006) cuteness but these departures do not really get it the way (at least in part because the flashbacks are done so well). The promo material emphasizes "funny and gently heartbreaking" but don't get the film expecting to see a comedy. There are a few tension relieving black comedy moments in the style of "Breaking Bad" (coincidently Tess Harper of "Tender Mercies" plays Jesse's mother on that series). But mostly it is just portrayals of very wounded people trying keep it together enough to function in the world.The film does include an awesome and extremely unusual climatic sequence about 10 minutes before the actual ending. Just as things seem darkest, Rose (Amy Adams) and Norah (Emily Blunt) unexpectedly get to see their dead mother's appearance in an old made-for-TV movie that they have until then only heard exists. This film within a film sequence is amazingly moving as the editor cuts between three actresses who look so alike in features and complexions that the customary suspension of disbelief is unnecessary.Rose is a single mom desperate for money after her impulsive 7-year-old son is thrown out of his elementary school. Life has beaten her up and been downhill for her since high school. A chronic need for validation has her trapped in a one-way affair with Mac, her high-school boyfriend (Steve Zahn in a nicely restrained performance), who fathered her son but married someone else. Rose's younger sister, Norah, is a party hard slacker still living with her father and still traumatized by her mother's suicide when Norah was a little girl.Mac (a police detective) tips the two sisters to a business opportunity cleaning up messy crime scenes. The business gives Rose validation and allows her to break off the relationship with Mac. It gives Norah glimpses into the lives of other troubled families (they clean up a lot of suicides), she connects with their pain but has to learn that pain is a very individual thing.Credit the success of this film to Adams and Blunt, who became close friends during this production; this translated into a an effortless believability in their portrayal of the dynamic between two sisters (it has simply never been done better).The other inspired element involves Winston (Clifton Collins), a one-armed janitorial supply store owner. He baby-sits Rose's son and is a resource for Rose as she tracks up the learning curve of her new business. Collins gently teases this role and transcends a script that is otherwise a little too sunny.The DVD includes an excellent commentary special feature in which the writer and the producer discuss the dynamics of adapting the original script and producing the film. These are typically extremely lame but this one is very well done and quite useful.Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

A young single mom who works as a housekeeper finally takes a shot at crime scene cleanup. She wings it and does everything wrong, mostly hiring her irresponsible younger sister to help her. She eventually learns to give up her deadbeat lover of 10 years (who is married to someone else and expecting yet another child). And for the first time in her life, she gets somewhere.The protagonist is supposedly the former head of the high school cheerleading squad who apparently slept with almost every boy in school which gave her a reputation that no guy wanted to marry. For making her that cliche, I took off a star. Plus it really is depressing that she'd let a jerk treat her like garbage for 10 long years.

Contrary to some other reviews, I found this movie to be a good one. It's basically an adult coming-of-age story about two women and their father. Those who enjoy movies about families and members' relationships with each other will definitely enjoy this one. There is a romance, or two actually, but the focus is on how the two sisters find empowerment rather than on getting a man - which I found highly refreshing.It's not a zany, fun, movie - more of a serious look at how we interact and grow through events and relationships. In my opinion, it should have been marketed as such. Although there are humorous incidents, the movie itself is more a humor-tinged family drama than a comedy. It almost has a literary quality to it.Should appeal to those who liked Steel Magnolias, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and other such videos.

Will watch again

I remember when "Sunshine Cleaning" was first released in theaters, the TV ads focused on the fact that it was made by the producers of "Little Miss Sunshine", and both films featured Alan Arkin, and both films have the word "Sunshine" in the title... so basically the TV ads made "Sunshine Cleaning" seem like a knock off of "Little Miss Sunshine" and as a result I ignored it when it was released in theaters.But a few months ago I rented it on a whim and felt like such a dope for ignoring it the first time. It's really a unique little movie, Amy Adams, Emily Blunt, and the whole cast are great, and it's beautifully shot.So if you were put off by the unfortunate ad campaign like I was, you should really give this film look, it stands on it's own, and I liked it so much I ended up buying a copy.

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 it!!

ca doit être ma période ou je regarde plus ce genre de film qui décrit la vie de tout les jours des gens, certains sont mieux que d'autres, mais celui-ci vaut son pesant de cacahuete, c'est vrai que l'idée de néttoyer des scènes de crimes ca ne nous traverse pas tout les jours.

Film frais malgré le sujet.

Petite comédie américaine comme on aimerait en voir plus.C'est simple, doux, attendrissant, déjanté et drôle (avec quelques situations hilarantes) mais sans l'humour lourd habituel.Amy Adams et Emily Blunt sont absolument parfaites.

I didn't like this movie

Sunshine Cleaning has a lot of amusing moments, but it's not the kind of comedy that tries to make you laugh with every line of dialogue or in every situation. Indeed, some of the subject matter is quite dark.Rose Lorkowski (Adams) is a single mother. She's good at getting men to want her, but most don't want to date her or enter into any kind of permanent relationship. She's having an affair with a local cop, Mac (Steve Zahn), but it's clear to us that he has no intention of leaving his pregnant wife. Rose is nothing more than a diversion for him and he's not emotionally invested in the relationship.Rose makes ends meet by working as a maid, but she's hoping to better herself. Mac finds himself investigating a suicide and discovers that it costs around $3,000 to clear up the mess. He suggests to Rose that it would be a lucrative line of work so she decides to give it a try. Rose recruits her sister, Norah (Blunt), and the two buy a van and open a business. Unfortunately, they don't have the required knowledge to do their job safely and within the law. They also don't have any kind of insurance.The two quickly learn and are helped by the owner of a local store who explains what equipment to buy and how to become certified. Rose's life starts to improve.The other main character is Joe (Arkin), the girls' father. He means well and is always promising his grandson trips and presents, but he rarely delivers. He reminds me of my grandfather in some ways and is always looking for some kind of scheme to earn money. One such scheme involves selling shrimp to local restaurants, but he's stuck with them when the restaurant owners refuse to buy for health reasons.This is a quiet film with some good observations on life. One sequence shows Rose desperately trying to fit in with women she knew in school. Why is it important to her that she looks good in front of them? The film doesn't try to make Rose and Norah glamorous. They are portrayed as normal people with flaws and problems to overcome. Both actresses are likable and their relationship feels authentic. Rose has been looking after Norah since their mother died.There's quite a lot of depth to the film at times. Rose realizes that the job sometimes involves becoming a part of people's lives for a brief period. There's a particularly touching scene in which she comforts a confused old woman who has just found out that her husband is dead. This is the kind of film that can make you reflect on sad situations and then make you laugh a minute later.The casting is an important ingredient. Adams and Blunt have good chemistry and Arkin holds everything together. While his character often seems clueless, there's a lot more to him. He clearly cares about his daughters and does his best to be a positive force in their lives.The film also challenges our definition of success. Is career success more important than family or romantic relationships? Does it matter how you make a living if you take care of yourself and the people who are close to you? Should we try and conform to society's definition of success?Adams sometimes accepts questionable roles, but she is talented and can shine in the right part. I was particularly impressed with her supporting role in Doubt, and she shows here that she has a lot to offer as a dramatic actress as well as in lighter roles.