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Movies / On DVD / Sunshine Cleaning
Sunshine Cleaning

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Sunshine Cleaning (2009)

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Reviews Counted:150

Fresh:108

Rotten:42

Average Rating:6.3/10

Consensus: Despite a sometimes overly familiar plot, Sunshine Cleaning benefits from the lively performances of its two stars.

Rated: 15 [See Full Rating] for language, disturbing images, some sexuality and drug use.

Runtime: 1 hr 42 mins

Genre: Comedies

Theatrical Release:26-06-2009

Synopsis: From the producers of LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE comes the charming Sundance hit SUNSHINE CLEANING, a spirited comedy-drama starring Amy Adams (DOUBT, ENCHANTED) as single-mom Rose Lorkowski, a plucky... From the producers of LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE comes the charming Sundance hit SUNSHINE CLEANING, a spirited comedy-drama starring Amy Adams (DOUBT, ENCHANTED) as single-mom Rose Lorkowski, a plucky ex-cheerleader now cleaning houses and having an affair with her high-school sweetheart, Mac (Steve Zahn). When Mac, a police detective, suggests the lucrative job opportunities in crime-scene cleanup, Rose enlists her sister, Norah (Emily Blunt), to join her in the gory but ultimately fulfilling business enterprise. The sisterly chemistry between Adams and Blunt is impressive and forms the crux of their characters' growth throughout the film: Rose’s optimism--reciting self-affirmations and positive spins on her occupation ("It’s a growth industry")--complements Norah’s cynical, wickedly humorous exterior, which hides her bruised, vulnerable heart. Rounding out this likable cast is Alan Arkin, appearing as Joe, the sisters' lovably grumpy father, and Jason Spevack, who plays Rose’s eight-year-old son, Oscar. SUNSHINE CLEANING has all the familiar ingredients of a small independent feature (dysfunctional family spanning three generations, offbeat comic situations, dark emotional subtext), but thanks to the keen directorial hand of Christine Jeffs (who also directed the Sylvia Plath biopic, SYLVIA), and a smart screenplay from first-time writer Megan Holley, the film manages to transcend indie-film quirkiness, offering a heartfelt story of family bonds and the unexpected curveballs in life’s road. [More]

Starring: Amy Adams, Emily Blunt, Alan Arkin, Steve Zahn

Starring: Amy Adams, Emily Blunt, Alan Arkin, Steve Zahn, Jason Spevack, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Clifton Collins, Eric Christian Olsen, Kevin Chapman

Director: Christine Jeffs

Director: Christine Jeffs
Screenwriter: Megan Holley
Producer: Glenn Williamson, Marc Turtletaub, Peter Saraf, Jeb Brody
Composer: Michael Penn
Studio: Overture Films

[See More Credits]

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1 - 4 of 11

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Reviews for Sunshine Cleaning

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21 - 40 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | |< << 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 >> >|
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Sunshine Cleaning has that "Sundance" vibe, in that it feels overly developed and tested for a bittersweet 'indie" feel and for maximum quirkiness.

Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid | comment Comment
08/28/09
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid

Shows there's nothing indie dramedies can't turn into faux-regional quirk

Full Review Source: CinePassion | comment Comment
08/25/09
Fernando F. Croce
Fernando F. Croce
CinePassion

Not entirely insubstantial, even as the bulk evaporates from the mind.

Full Review Source: Suite101.com | comment Comment
08/25/09
Rob Humanick
Rob Humanick
Suite101.com

The sort of movie you root for, hoping it'll break through to be something special. It never quite does, but it still has the not-insignificant value of two fine actresses cast as sisters. [Blu-ray]

Full Review Source: Groucho Reviews | comment Comment
08/20/09
Peter Canavese
Peter Canavese
Groucho Reviews

There's close to nothing about this film that isn't contrived, forced and reminiscent of movies that twist themselves into knots to achieve Harold and Maude-like quirky charm.

Full Review Source: UGO | comment 1 Comment
08/14/09
Jordan Hoffman
Jordan Hoffman
UGO

Everything Amy Adams touches turns to gold, and even here where she is playing a character thoroughly down on her luck, she is luminous.

Full Review Source: Screenwize | comment Comment
08/10/09
Cris Kennedy
Cris Kennedy
Screenwize

This film is both funny and moving. It focuses on how families can provide strength in times of need.

Full Review Source: Laramie Movie Scope | comment Comment
06/20/09
Robert Roten
Robert Roten
Laramie Movie Scope

It's worthwhile just for Adams and Blunt, a partnership made in movie heaven.

Full Review Source: Sydney Morning Herald | comment Comment
06/19/09
Sandra Hall
Sandra Hall
Sydney Morning Herald

Best to take a page from Rose's métier and bleach this one fully out of sight and mind.

Full Review Source: Time Out Sydney | comment Comment
06/12/09
Keith Uhlich
Keith Uhlich
Time Out Sydney

The payoff in this film is nowhere near as schmaltzy as in Little Miss Sunshine, for which I'm grateful. It's not great drama, but it's bittersweet, and diverting.

Full Review Source: MovieTime, ABC Radio National | comment Comment
06/12/09
Julie Rigg
Julie Rigg
MovieTime, ABC Radio National

It's not that Sunshine Cleaning is a bad film, more that it uses the gnarly cleaning matter as bait, and then fails to deliver the goods. What remains is enjoyable, but not so much that you'd want to go back for seconds.

Full Review Source: FILMINK (Australia) | comment Comment
06/12/09
Jenni Dawes
Jenni Dawes
FILMINK (Australia)

The payoff in this film is nowhere near as schmaltzy as in Little Miss Sunshine, for which I'm grateful. It's not great drama, but it's bittersweet, and diverting.

Full Review Source: MovieTime, ABC Radio National | comment Comment
06/11/09
Julie Rigg
Julie Rigg
MovieTime, ABC Radio National

Occasionally it struggles to walk the line between black comedy and bleak dysfunction. Ultimately, though, this is a fresh and refreshing outing with a surprising amount of heart.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine Australasia | comment Comment
06/10/09
Rod Yates
Rod Yates
Empire Magazine Australasia

Amy Adams [is] terrific in Sunshine Cleaning but the material lets her down. It’s as if it’s trying to push every indie film button in the book.

Full Review Source: At the Movies (Australia) | comment Comment
06/10/09
Margaret Pomeranz
Margaret Pomeranz
At the Movies (Australia)

Although the film isn't brilliant, the script has its moments and includes some memorable dialogue: "How'd she die?" "It was a do-it-yourself kinda thing."

Full Review Source: Courier Mail (Australia) | comment Comment
06/10/09
Colin Newton
Colin Newton
Courier Mail (Australia)

The irony of the Sunshine named small enterprise specialising in cleaning up post-death mess suggests the filmmakers may be aiming for a tone of dark comic entertainment, but the film does not play out that way.

Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
06/05/09
Andrew L. Urban
Andrew L. Urban
Urban Cinefile

Surprisingly moving, this subtle black comedy that deals with cleaning up the mess that life dishes out, has plenty more going for it than an unusual premise.

Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
06/05/09
Louise Keller
Louise Keller
Urban Cinefile

So many things worked so well that you might not expect would %u2013 from the cheery fakery of an awkward high school reunion to the complexities of this line of work.

Full Review Source: Cinerina | comment Comment
05/31/09
Karina Montgomery
Karina Montgomery
Cinerina

Taken on its own terms, though, it's a solid indie effort with plenty of nice character strokes by screenwriter Megan Holley and razor-sharp performances by Amy Adams and Emily Blunt.

Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment Comment
05/29/09
J. R. Jones
J. R. Jones
Chicago Reader

The laughs are not easy to get.

Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews | comment Comment
05/07/09
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz
Ozus' World Movie Reviews
 
 
21 - 40 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | |< << 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 >> >|
all

Latest News for Sunshine Cleaning

June 14, 2009: Box-office: Terminator Hungover
Much like McG's endless grey landscapes, it was a cold, bleak dawn at the Australian box-office this weekend for Terminator Salvation, as the sequel collapsed against the debut... More...

March 26, 2009: The Amy Adams Sunshine Cleaning Insite Interview Opens in new window
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March 15, 2009: Bringing Death to Life for Sunshine Cleaning Opens in new window
Amy Adams and Emily Blunt clean up some pretty grisly stuff in the upcoming dark comedy "Sunshine Cleaning" -- but that was just for the cameras. The movie's biohazard... More...

March 12, 2009: Critics Consensus: Race to Witch Mountain Doesn't Cast A Spell
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