SUNSHINE CLEANING
CAROLINE: Two of our favorite actresses are starring as sisters in a new indie, “Sunshine Cleaning,” which is out in limited release. It’s brought to you by the same people who did “Little Miss Sunshine.”
RYAN: Evidently they can only make movies with “Sunshine” in the title. How cute.
CAROLINE: This one is very different though. It’s about two sisters who are kind of drifting through life and have made some bad choices, but start a crime scene clean-up business together. I really liked it a lot.
RYAN: I think you liked it more than me. I’m not sure I would have enjoyed this movie at all were it not for Amy Adams and Emily Blunt.
CAROLINE: I liked it primarily because of them, but also I loved the story. I’m obsessed with all that true crime/forensics stuff, so it was way up my alley. And LBH, Amy Adams is phenomenal in everything she does. Plus the movie covers so many topics – family drama, relationship issues, work, etc. It even made me cry at one point. It’s very touching, but also funny. I guess you could call it a dramedy.
RYAN: I hesitate to call it a dramedy because even though I did laugh a few times and it has a few comic moments, it’s much more of a drama. Ultimately, it’s a really sad movie, and I think that’s why it disappointed me a little. I wanted it to be a little more upbeat.
CAROLINE: I enjoy Emily Blunt and she does a good American accent, but her giant porcelain veneers are problematic. She needs to shave them down stat. We all know you have bad British teeth under there, honey; the veneers were a good idea. But please make them smaller.
RYAN: Very true, but Amy Adams and her beauty make up for it.
CAROLINE: It’s definitely a small movie, and not for everyone. It has an indie feel. I wouldn’t say you have to rush out and see it in the theater, but it’s quirky and interesting and it genuinely moved me. It was both heartwarming and funny.
RYAN: I think what made this movie somewhat hard for me to watch was that I related to some of the issues and predicaments they had with family and money. At this point in time, I would rather see more of an escapist movie that doesn’t bring me down.
CAROLINE: Alan Arkin plays the dad, and his scenes sort of bugged me. He’s supposed to be an eccentric who’s always got another get-rick-quick scheme up his sleeve, and it got a little played out for me. I guess I just don’t love Alan Arkin. Other than that, I’m a big fan of this movie.
— BOTTOM LINE —
RYAN: It’s a good movie that’s worth seeing because of its two brilliant stars. The performances are all great, but it’s more the kind of movie you could wait to see on cable or DVD.
CAROLINE: It’s very well made, and if you’re a huge fan of “Little Miss Sunshine” or either of these actresses, you’ll want to see it. Again, it’s only out in limited release, so it might be hard to find. But it’ll be a great rental in a few months. If you’re at all inclined, do check it out; you won’t be disappointed.
— RATING —