Sunshine Cleaning (2008)

Director:

Christine Jeffs

Writer (WGA):

Megan Holley (written by)

Release Date:

27 March 2009 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

life's a messy business.

Plot:

In order to raise the tuition to send her young son to private school, a mom starts an unusual business -- a biohazard removal/crime scene clean-up service -- with her unreliable sister.

Plot Keywords:

Sisters | Suicide | Biohazard | High School Sweetheart | Crime Scene

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Amy Adams	...	Rose Lorkowski
Emily Blunt	...	Norah Lorkowski
Alan Arkin	...	Joe Lorkowski
Jason Spevack	...	Oscar Lorkowski
Steve Zahn	...	Mac
Mary Lynn Rajskub	...	Lynn
Clifton Collins Jr.	...	Winston
Eric Christian Olsen	...	Randy
Paul Dooley	...	Sherm
Kevin Chapman	...	Carl
Judith Jones	...	Paula Datzman-Mead
Amy Redford	...	Heather
Christopher Dempsey	...	Gun Shop Suicide
Vic Browder	...	Gun Shop Owner
Ivan Brutsche	...	Above and Beyond Worker

MPAA:

Rated R for language, disturbing images, some sexuality and drug use.

Runtime:

91 min | Germany:102 min (European Film Market)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #44055) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | Netherlands:12 | UK:15 | Sweden:7 | Ireland:15A | Germany:12 | Japan:PG-12 | New Zealand:R16 | Australia:M | Singapore:M18 | Hong Kong:IIB | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Finland:K-11 | Singapore:NC-16 (edited for re-rating) | South Korea:15 | Denmark:11 | France:U | Turkey:13+

Filming Locations:

Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

Company:

Back Lot Pictures

Trivia:

The filmmakers have said in interviews their story is based on a 2001 National Public Radio "All Things Considered" report about two women in the Seattle suburbs who started a biohazard removal/cleaning service. They are best friends, not sisters.

Quotes:

Rose Lorkowski: There's not a lot that I am good at. But I'm good at getting guys to want me. Not date me, or marry me, but want me.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Angela and Friends: (#1.9)" (2009)

Soundtrack:

Cure for this

Adams and Blunt are remarkable

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.