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Reviews Counted:150
Fresh:108
Rotten:42
Average Rating:6.3/10
Consensus: Despite a sometimes overly familiar plot, Sunshine Cleaning benefits from the lively performances of its two stars.
Theatrical Release:Mar 13, 2009 Limited
Box Office: $12,033,702
Synopsis: From the producers of LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE comes the charming Sundance hit SUNSHINE CLEANING, a spirited comedy-drama starring Amy Adams (DOUBT, ENCHANTED) as single-mom Rose Lorkowski, a plucky... [More]
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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.
Sunshine Cleaning has that "Sundance" vibe, in that it feels overly developed and tested for a bittersweet 'indie" feel and for maximum quirkiness.
Shows there's nothing indie dramedies can't turn into faux-regional quirk
Not entirely insubstantial, even as the bulk evaporates from the mind.
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]
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.
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.
Everything Amy Adams touches turns to gold, and even here where she is playing a character thoroughly down on her luck, she is luminous.
Jeffs makes a good fist of the direction and Blunt proves that she can do comedy, but it’s Adams’s comforting, charismatic central turn which really gives the film its lift.
Ultimately, the film is too neat, and too cloyingly sweet to tackle anything resembling real life.
Instead of something fresh and funny, this film is as formulaic and empty as any Hollywood blockbuster.
This is nearly a decent family comedy - but like the mantra-chuntering character Adams plays, it's just not confident enough of its strong points to really stand out.
Far from being a tragic grind, Sunshine Cleaning is one long, wonderful irony. It feels like a first film – delicate, fresh and female.
Jeffs shows economy in her direction and steers through the potentially difficult script with skilful handling of tone and mood, wonderfully striking balance between laughs and tears. What a relief it is to unearth this quietly sparkling gem.
Sunshine Cleaning gets an A for Amy Adams. Injecting some heartfelt, three-dimensional zest into the wispy, two-dimensional story, she spares this copycat indie’s blushes and scores a winning combo with Blunt.
The film has poor commercial prospects, as its plot is too slender, its tone too blandly upbeat.
It's a film so achingly average it almost deserves an award for mediocrity.
The plot dithers and zigzags but only because human credibility, helped by excellent acting, has been allowed to prevail over Sundance-institutionalised designer whimsy.
It's not on a par with Little Miss: there's some whimsical-tragical stuff about talking to the dead via CB radio, and the producers might want to think beyond using "Sunshine" in a title again. But I would have been sorry to miss this.
Sunshine Cleaning is a winning combination of heartbreak and quirky humour.
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