Amy Adams is the sole reason to see this film
Image Courtesy of IMPawards.com
Director: Christine Jeffs
Notable Cast: Amy Adams, Emily Blunt, Alan Alda
Ever since Junebug came and went from art house theatres, Amy Adams has seemingly been destined for great things. Two Oscar nominations and a couple hits later, Adams has graduated to being a star capable of headlining a film. And in Sunshine Cleaning she gets her chance.
Rose (Adams) is a housekeeper on the down side of life. She had it all at 18. She was the head cheerleader and was dating the star football player (Steve Zahn). Years later, all she’s left with are memories and his son to go with random hookups in a motel room. Then one day she gets an inspiration: crime scene cleanup. Going into the business with her sister (Emily Blunt), who lives at home with her father Joe (Alan Alda), she discovers a lot about herself and the film presents her as a character study in personal development.
And it wouldn’t work without Adams, whose presence carries the film to much higher levels then it has any right to be. On its own it’s a quirky independent film with a solid cast. With her it develops into a significantly higher level because Adams is one of the rare actresses in Hollywood whose presence adds to any film. She carries it quite admirably as well; this isn’t top notch material she’s been given, merely average, but she gives Rose a life that makes us fall in love with her immediately. It’s hard to see any other actress in the role and is up there with her recent work. It’ll be a shame if it gets overlooked this year when it comes to the end of the year awards.
The film itself, however, is your standard “quirky” independent film. Since Little Miss Sunshine there seems to be a formula: throw in a “whacky” parental figure, add in some emotional issues, add in a flashback, mix and rinse with some wonderful cinematography and an ambiguous ending that’s meant to inspire hope and you’re left with an independent film for a burgeoning star to be. Sunshine Cleaning is another paint by numbers independent film striving to find the sort of success that Little Miss Sunshine did. It’s less successful at it, obviously, but does what it has to be entertaining enough.
