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Movies / On DVD / Sunshine State
Sunshine State

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Sunshine State (2002)

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Reviews Counted:106

Fresh:85

Rotten:21

Average Rating:7/10

Consensus: Wonderfully acted, but the story and pacing can use a little work.

Runtime: 2 hrs 21 mins

Genre: Dramas

Synopsis: Welcome to Delorna Beach and the 2nd Annual Buccaneer Days! Take a trip! Take a drive! See Florida Today! Oceanfront motels. T-shirt shops. Golf courses. Palm trees. Sandy beaches. Condominiums.... Welcome to Delorna Beach and the 2nd Annual Buccaneer Days! Take a trip! Take a drive! See Florida Today!

Oceanfront motels. T-shirt shops. Golf courses. Palm trees. Sandy beaches. Condominiums. Man-eating alligators. Indians, pirates, Spanish gold, sea Island plantations. "People don't realize how hard it is to invent a tradition." - Francince Pinckney

Change is coming to Delrona Beach, Florida, assaults on every front. Here's Marly (Edie Falco) running her father's motel and hating every minute of it. Lester and Greg (Miguel Ferrer and Perry Lang) will stop at nothing to buy the motel, and Dad (Ralph Waite) will never sell. Mom (Jane Alexander) is living in her own dream world down at the community theater and off at the Audubon meetings, saving what's left of the natural habitat.

Marly's wasting away in Margaritaville, dodging her ex-husband (Richard Edson), losing her golf pro (Marc Blucas) and tempted by the new guy in town (Timothy Hutton) even though he is definitely working for the other side.

Here's Desiree (Angela Bassett) back for her first real visit home since she left under a cloud 25 years ago. She doesn't trust her mother Eunice (Mary Alice) and won't be drawn into staying in the black enclave of Lincoln Beach, even though family friend Dr Lloyd (Bill Cobbs) works her pretty hard.

Dr. Lloyd is up against it, fighting off the Plantation in the person of promoter Northrup (Sam McMurray) whose battles with the black community go way back. Trophy husband Dr. Reginald Perry (James McDaniel) does his best to fit in, but he's worried about the old boyfriend Flash Phillips (Tom Wright), and nobody's comfortable with the boy Eunice has taken in, young arsonist Terrell (Alex Lewis)

Chamber of Commerce stalwart Francine Pinckney (Mary Steenburgen) keeps a smile on her face and pom poms high, championing Buccaneer Days through its course. She's too busy to see much of banker husband Earl (Gordon Clapp) whose gambling debts are giving him problems of his own.

Real people. Real places. Welcome to Florida. -- © Sony Pictures Classics [More]

Starring: Edie Falco, Angela Bassett, Jane Alexander, Ralph Waite

Starring: Edie Falco, Angela Bassett, Jane Alexander, Ralph Waite, James McDaniel, Mary Alice, Bill Cobbs, Gordon Clapp, Mary Steenburgen, Timothy Hutton, Tom Wright, Marc Blucas, Alexander Lewis, McMurray, Perry Lang, Miguel Ferrer, Charlayne Woodard, Clifton James, Cullen Douglas, Alan King, Richard Edson, Michael Greyeyes

Director: John Sayles

Director: John Sayles
Screenwriter: John Sayles
Producer: Maggie Renzi
Composer: Mason Daring
Studio: Sony Pictures Classics

[See More Credits]

Reviews for Sunshine State

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1 - 20 (sorted by fresh rating; UK critics are listed first)
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Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
02/02/03
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Being a Sayles film, this has a way of looking at things with more patience and maturity than a plot summary might lead us to expect.

Full Review Source: UK Critic | comment Comment
09/09/02
Ian Waldron-Mantgani
Ian Waldron-Mantgani
UK Critic

A humane and moving film with real life values.

Full Review Source: BBC | comment Comment
07/14/02
Laura Bushell
Laura Bushell
BBC
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

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Full Review Source: Guardian [UK] | comment Comment
08/03/02
Guardian [UK]
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N/R

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Full Review Source: FilmFour.com | comment Comment
07/30/02
FilmFour.com
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N/R

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Full Review Source: Daily Mail [UK] | comment Comment
12/15/03
Christopher Tookey
Christopher Tookey
Daily Mail [UK]
N/R

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Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
02/09/06
Geoff Andrew
Geoff Andrew
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

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Full Review Source: Shadows on the Wall | comment Comment
06/15/02
Rich Cline
Rich Cline
Shadows on the Wall

Sayles has always been a master at honest emotion. Fittingly, Sunshine State is a bright spot in his career.

Full Review Source: E! Online | comment Comment
06/28/02
E! Online
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Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/06/05
Film Threat
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Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/31/02
Film Threat
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A fiercely intelligent South Florida mosaic.

Full Review Source: eye WEEKLY | comment Comment
08/20/02
Adam Nayman
Adam Nayman
eye WEEKLY

Very well-written and very well-acted.

Full Review Source: New York Observer | comment Comment
06/25/02
Andrew Sarris
Andrew Sarris
New York Observer

A densely layered, always absorbing whole.

Full Review Source: Washington Post | comment Comment
07/12/02
Ann Hornaday
Ann Hornaday
Washington Post

Leave it to John Sayles to take on developers, the Chamber of Commerce, tourism, historical pageants, and commercialism all in the same movie . . . without neglecting character development for even one minute.

Full Review Source: ReelTalk Movie Reviews | comment Comment
06/03/02
Betty Jo Tucker
Betty Jo Tucker
ReelTalk Movie Reviews

Edie Falco and Angela Bassett shine...a good, often funny film from Sayles.

Full Review Source: Las Vegas Mercury | comment Comment
06/06/02
Bob Grimm
Bob Grimm
Las Vegas Mercury

John Sayles turns his sardonic gaze towards Florida in the latest from the country's number one independent filmmaker.

Full Review Source: Denton Record Chronicle (TX) | comment Comment
07/06/02
Boo Allen
Boo Allen
Denton Record Chronicle (TX)

Exquisitely acted and masterfully if preciously interwoven… [the film] addresses in a fascinating, intelligent manner the intermingling of race, politics and local commerce.

Full Review Source: Entertainment Today | comment Comment
08/26/02
Brent Simon
Brent Simon
Entertainment Today

Sunshine State certainly ranks as one of the director's richest, most satisfying films.

Full Review Source: FilmStew.com | comment Comment
05/28/03
Brett Buckalew
Brett Buckalew
FilmStew.com

Could have been much more than good, if only it didn’t seem so unfocused, and so many characters didn’t seem insufficiently explored.

Full Review Source: Apollo Guide | comment Comment
01/30/03
Brian Webster
Brian Webster
Apollo Guide
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by fresh rating; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 >> >|
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Latest News for Sunshine State

June 23, 2005: Production Wraps on Roth's "Freedomland"
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