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:

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

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

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

Color:

Color

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:

Amy Adams played the girlfriend of John Krasinski's character Jim Halpert on "The Office" (2005) during parts of the first and second seasons. Emily Blunt is Krasinski's girlfriend in real life.

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 "The Rotten Tomatoes Show: Miss March/Race to Witch Mountain/Sunshine Cleaning (#1.3)" (2009)

Soundtrack:

Open for Business

Sunshine Cleaning Movie Review from The Massie Twins

Oddly whimsical for a dark foray into the humorous side of crime-scene clean-up, Sunshine Cleaning amusingly examines the lives of two sisters who attempt to mend the hurt in their personal lives while mopping up the dismal outcomes of others' failed resolutions. Contrasting the sisters' troubles and reconciliation over their mother's tragic death with their desire to find a connection within the "clients" of their peculiar profession, the film succeeds in presenting an engagingly naturalistic drama primarily thanks to some enchanting acting from Amy Adams and Emily Blunt, and the always scene-stealing Alan Arkin channeling his performance from another "Sunshine." Rose Lorkowski (Amy Adams) finds herself a single mother attempting to support her son Oscar (Jason Spevack) and her unreliable sister Norah (Emily Blunt) while working a mundane job as a maid. Once the head cheerleader in school with plenty of prospects, Rose now has little to show for her years, and while she still sees the former lead football player (Steve Zahn), it is little more than a despondent affair. When Oscar is expelled from public school, Rose takes a job as a bio-hazard crime-scene cleaner to help pay for a private education, and brings Norah on to help in her steadily growing business. As the sisters work to clean up the messes left behind by the chaotic lives of others, they must learn to reconcile their own differences and overcome a troubled past if they hope to prosper in their newfound venture.

Sunshine Cleaning is a deceptively simple slice-of-dysfunctional-life comedy that follows a pattern reminiscent of Five Easy Pieces mixed with Little Miss Sunshine. The characters themselves embody various stereotypes of maladjusted individuals, each graced with enough redeeming qualities that they're relatable instead of contemptible - which is often the opposite in painfully dark comedies. Occasionally the film delves into disturbing complications that seem oddly superfluous, but adds depth to the subplots - reflecting the messiness of life, in the anatomy of a metaphorical crime scene waiting to be cleaned up.

Once again Amy Adams' performance is teary-eyed and sensational, demonstrating her maturity, acting chops and surprising range of emotions that don't seem initially possible with her pleasantly youthful face. Supporting roles by Emily Blunt and Alan Arkin are also noteworthy; Norah creates the missing piece to Rose's overwhelming feelings of responsibility, and their father steals the show with alternating comic relief and desperation for making ends meet. Their performances are genuine and affecting and bring light to a story that is realistically melancholy but unquestionably entertaining.

- The Massie Twins