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Sunshine Cleaning (2008)

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Top Critics

Average Rating: 6.3/10
Reviews Counted: 166
Fresh: 119 | Rotten: 47

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

Average Rating: 6.4/10
Critic Reviews: 35
Fresh: 27 | Rotten: 8

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

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Average Rating: 3.3/5
User Ratings: 177,309

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Movie Info

A thirtysomething single mother whose boundless potential was squandered through a series of failed relationships and a misguided effort to help her younger sister succeed in life finds the fruits of her labors finally coming together in director Christine Jeffs' dark family comedy. Back in high school, the future looked pretty bright for Rose Lorkowski (Amy Adams); not only was she the cheerleading captain, but she was also dating the star quarterback. Flash forward a little over a decade, and

R, 1 hr. 42 min.

Comedy

Directed By: Christine Jeffs

Written By: Megan Holley

In Theaters: Mar 13, 2009 Wide

On DVD: Aug 25, 2009

Box Office:$12.0M

Overture Films

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.

May 29, 2009 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader

| Comment

J. R. Jones

Chicago Reader

Top Critic

Sunshine Cleaning is one of those dependent independent films -- dependent on the need to be "quirky" yet "heartfelt" too, and as much a slave to the formulaic as any Hollywood product.

March 27, 2009 Full Review Source: Globe and Mail

| Comment

Rick Groen

Globe and Mail

Top Critic

Adams and Blunt rise above the clunky premise and execution to once again demonstrate why they've become the go-to girls for any director seeking smart, versatile and warm-blooded talent.

March 27, 2009 Full Review Source: Toronto Star

| Comment

Peter Howell

Toronto Star

Top Critic

The irrepressible Adams puts a sunny face on a life that hasn't worked out, but that's worth the struggle in spite of it all.

March 25, 2009 Full Review Source: Orlando Sentinel

| Comment

Roger Moore

Orlando Sentinel

Top Critic

Sunshine Cleaning should have been a madcap comedy of the macabre, or a tangled yarn about the metaphorical biohazards of living life at the margins, but it shoots for the middle and ends up being just that: middling.

March 20, 2009 Full Review Source: Washington Post

| Comment

Dan Zak

Washington Post

Top Critic

Sunshine Cleaning emerges as that rare American specimen -- a strong movie about women.

March 20, 2009 Full Review Source: San Francisco Chronicle

| Comment

Mick LaSalle

San Francisco Chronicle

Top Critic

Amy Adams and Emily Blunt, two fine actresses, get the opportunity to glow in strong lead roles as complex, emotionally fractured females who work hard to earn your respect -- and reclaim their own.

September 29, 2011 Full Review Source: American Profile

| Comment

Neil Pond

American Profile Source: American Profile

New directions in chick flicks: dried arterial blood sprays, maggots, and heart tugs.

August 16, 2011 Full Review Source: East Bay Express

| Comment

Kelly Vance

East Bay Express

Sunshine Cleaning is a decent film, especially if you already like this sort of thing, with a lot of subtlety and a desire to represent actual human beings without demonizing or beatifying any of them.

March 30, 2011 Full Review Source: ComingSoon.net

| Comment

Joshua Starnes

ComingSoon.net

Well worth a look for those who aren't too disillusioned with the post-Juno Indie film scene.

March 1, 2011 Full Review Source: What Culture

| Comment

Mike Edwards

What Culture Source: What Culture

Amy Adams sweeps through the wide-ranging role with zest, enthusiasm and just the right touch of simmering self-anger.

November 15, 2010 Full Review Source: JWR

| Comment

S. James Wegg

JWR

This is a flick about two women who go into the business of cleaning up crime scenes. Somebody should be hired to clean up the mess of a script for "Sunshine Cleaning".

January 4, 2010 Full Review Source: rec.arts.movies.reviews

| Comment

Louis Proyect

rec.arts.movies.reviews

More sobering than laugh-out-loud funny, Sunshine Cleaning gives full weight to the impact of death without rubbing our faces in the crime scenes.

December 17, 2009 Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com

| Comment

Rob Gonsalves

eFilmCritic.com

The movie never quite knows how to tackle the material because it literally jumps all over the map...

December 9, 2009 Full Review Source: Cinema Crazed

| Comment

Felix Vasquez Jr.

Cinema Crazed

Megan Holley's script feels like it's been Sundance-workshopped to death. However, the cast - led by Amy Adams, Emily Blunt and Alan Arkin - establishes a vibrantly odd family bond that sustains "Sunshine Cleaning" through its dimmer portions.

September 30, 2009 Full Review Source: Suite101.com

| Comment

Nick Rogers

Suite101.com

Sunshine Cleaning has that "Sundance" vibe, in that it feels overly developed and tested for a bittersweet 'indie" feel and for maximum quirkiness.

August 28, 2009 Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid

| Comment

Jeffrey M. Anderson

Combustible Celluloid

Driven by top-tier performances from Adams and Blunt, Sunshine Cleaning is a charming dramedy that lifts the dirt on life and death.

August 26, 2009 Full Review Source: Moviedex

| Comment

Anders Wotzke

Moviedex

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

August 25, 2009 Full Review Source: CinePassion

| Comment

Fernando F. Croce

CinePassion

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

August 25, 2009 Full Review Source: Suite101.com

| Comment

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]

August 20, 2009 Full Review Source: Groucho Reviews

| Comment

Peter Canavese

Groucho Reviews Source: Groucho Reviews

While it may sound like Little Miss Sunshine's poor relative, or Sundance by-the-numbers, this is an enjoyable, poignant, moving and - yes - funny film in its own right.

August 17, 2009 Full Review Source: Filmstar Magazine

| Comment

Anne Wollenberg

Filmstar Magazine Source: Filmstar Magazine

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.

August 14, 2009 Full Review Source: UGO

| Comment (1)

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.

August 10, 2009 Full Review Source: Screenwize

| Comment

Cris Kennedy

Screenwize

Zany postmortem hick flick with New Mexico sisterhood in scrubs, channel surfing for mom, and beyond the call of duty girl bonding over an edible necklace. Sunshine Cleaning is economic crisis cinema on the grim side, but irresistibly Albu-quirky.

August 7, 2009 Full Review Source: NewsBlaze

| Comment

Prairie Miller

NewsBlaze

More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Sunshine Cleaning

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Another well-portrayed Amy Adams character lights up this bleak slice of life, and the story about taking pride in yourself and your work shines through. With the hand they've been dealt, the Norkowski sisters (Adams, as Rose, and Emily Blunt as Nora) have every right to lie down and give up, but when an unorthodox

November 19, 2011

Daniel Perry

Super Reviewer

A very good film in the vein of such films as Little Miss Sunshine, Sunshine Cleaning is a charming and funny drama comedy film with a good cast. The film has a great story and the actors deliver wonderful, amusing performances. Sunshine Cleaning is the perfect example of an Indie film gets it right, using a simple

October 29, 2011

Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski

Super Reviewer

Sunshine Cleaning Quotes

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1. Lynn: How'd she die?
2. Norah Norkowski: It was sorta a do-it-yourself thing?
– Submitted by Chris P (13 months ago)
1. Rose Norkowski: There's not a lot that I am good at. But I'm good at getting guys to want me. Not date me, or marry me, but want me.
– Submitted by Chris P (13 months ago)

Character	Quote
	Enter quote here...	Delete

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