Movie Review : Sunshine Cleaning

Sunshine cleaning premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival and it took about an year for this film to get to the theatres, and even when there, it was a pretty short run. I’ve been meaning to see this for a while, chiefly because of the cast which features in the main lead, the wonderful Amy Adams (of “Doubt” and “Julie and Julia”).

OK, for starters, this film is about Rose (Adams) and her sister Norah (Emily Blunt). Rose, a cheerleader at school, is now working as a maid. She would like to get her real estate license to move up in life, but that’s sort of hampered by bills, and familial issues. Plus Rose is having an affair with her high-school boyfriend (he was the local jock) Mac(Steve Zahn) who married another girl.

Tremulous Rose is frustrated with her dead-end life although she tries to put on a brave face, and when a new business opportunity pops up, she decides to give it a go. The title of the film seems cheery enough, although what it is, is the name of the Cleaning business that Rose Korlowski starts. And not just any ordinary cleaning business this ! It is a post-mortem, post-death/tragedy clean-up business where they must get into a crime scene after the police are done with it (lots of gore, blood spatters, and other bodily fluid involved) and make it all nice and shiny again. And from the looks of some these clean-up sites, it doesn’t look as though they were that pretty to begin with.

Well, Rose and Norah learn to get used to it, and it seems like this well-paying gig really might be the answer to their problems. But life never is that simple, is it ?

This film was beautifully directed, and the casting oh-so-perfect. Adams as Rose is just the right amount of vulnerable, eyes bright with unshed tears, and the whole “I’m-going to-be-so-brave-even-though-my-life-is-going-down-the-toilet” routine down pat. I mean, a few frames into the movie and I’m already sympathetic towards the down-on-her-luck, pretty, plucky Rose. Emily Blunt as irresponsible sister Norah is just as good. Then there’s Alan Arkin playing the loser Dad, a wry reprise of his role in “Little Miss Sunshine”.

The film as it dwells on it’s protagnists difficult circumstances is stark, and grim, but handled with a sympathetic touch. There is also a little sub-plot about Rose and Norah’s mother, but what this film really is about is squeaking through life in a dignified fashion, even though it seems you’re walking a fine line, and with Rose, so, so close to hurtling down the edge into despair.

Kidwise this is grisly at times, has language issues, and nudity/sexual situations. However, for all you non-kids, this is a pretty good film, feisty, thoughtful and poignant. I recommend it.