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Sunshine Cleaning

Play trailer 2:25 Poster for Sunshine Cleaning R 2009 1h 42m Comedy Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
74% Tomatometer 177 Reviews 63% Popcornmeter 100,000+ Ratings
Though they once seemed to have a bright future, life seems to be passing by the Norkowski sisters. Rose (Amy Adams), once the most popular girl in high school, is a single mom and works as a maid. Norah (Emily Blunt) still lives at home with their father (Alan Arkin), and parties all the time. When Rose's married lover tells her about the lucrative field of crime-scene cleanup, she pours all her remaining resources into her new business, and recruits the squeamish Norah to help.
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Sunshine Cleaning

Sunshine Cleaning

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Critics Consensus

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

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Critics Reviews

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Candice Frederick Reel Talk Online 09/12/2017
B+
Filled with touching moments and relatable agony in the midst of financial and personal meltdowns, Blunt and Adams effortlessly portray two characters on the verge of a breakthrough... Go to Full Review Keith Uhlich Time Out 11/16/2011
1/6
[B]leach this one fully out of sight and mind. Go to Full Review Jordan Hoffman UGO 08/14/2009
C-
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. Go to Full Review Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review 12/01/2023
2.5/4
Relying on a contrast between the bright leads working in grim situations, the story never quite comes together. Go to Full Review Danielle Solzman Solzy at the Movies 01/18/2023
4/5
Sunshine Cleaning succeeds because Amy Adams, Emily Blunt, and Alan Arkin are so good at their jobs. Go to Full Review Mike Massie Gone With The Twins 11/29/2020
7/10
Oddly whimsical for a dark foray into the humorous side of crime-scene clean-up. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Carlos I @carlosFibarra May 12 Sunshine Cleaning manages to be a charming, offbeat indie that navigates the grime of its subject matter with a surprisingly light touch. While the film is fairly weightless in its narrative stakes, it thrives as a piece of quirky fun that relies heavily on the chemistry of its central duo. Amy Adams and Emily Blunt deliver performances that elevate the material, grounding the whimsical premise with some actual moving moments. See more Troy R @Grim16 May 6 Not as funny as I hoped but has a few good laughs. More of a drama and story about finding what you love rather than worrying about what society expects from you. Overall very well acted and felt very realistic. See more Jeffrey P @vanillavoodoo1 Mar 21 Well performed and constructed around a subject most people don’t think about which give it uniqueness that sets it apart until an ending that leaves things not amounting to much. See more Faiz D @RT95588871 05/13/2025 Although it ended abruptly, Sunshine Cleaning is a decent movie thanks to the wonderful performances by Amy and Emily. See more David H @RT60765788 04/05/2025 Adams and Blunt make this movie great See more ira m @Montyson 12/21/2024 I saw this for a second or fourth time after seeing it year/ decades ago. Heart felt and humanistic. Sensitive with understated sense of humor. Can't go wrong watching this.. unless you want an everything blows up movie. See more Read all reviews
Sunshine Cleaning

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Christine Jeffs

Director

Amy Adams

Rose

Emily Blunt

Norah

Alan Arkin

Joe

Jason Spevack

Oscar

Steve Zahn

Mac

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Sunshine Cleaning

Sunshine Cleaning: Trailer 1 Sunshine Cleaning: Trailer 1 2:25 View more videos
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Sunshine Cleaning

Alan Arkin as Joe in "Sunshine Cleaning." (L-R) Emily Blunt as Norah and Amy Adams as Rose in "Sunshine Cleaning." Jason Spevack as Oscar in "Sunshine Cleaning." (L-R) Amy Adams as Rose and Emily Blunt as Norah in "Sunshine Cleaning." (L-R) Jason Spevack as Oscar, Amy Adams as Rose and Emily Blunt as Norah in "Sunshine Cleaning." Amy Adams as Rose in "Sunshine Cleaning." (L-R) Mary Lynn Rajskub as Lynn and Emily Blunt as Norah in "Sunshine Cleaning." Steve Zahn as Mac in "Sunshine Cleaning." (L-R) Jason Spevack as Oscar and Alan Arkin as Joe in "Sunshine Cleaning." (L-R) Emily Blunt as Norah, Jason Spevack as Oscar and Amy Adams as Rose in "Sunshine Cleaning." View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Though they once seemed to have a bright future, life seems to be passing by the Norkowski sisters. Rose (Amy Adams), once the most popular girl in high school, is a single mom and works as a maid. Norah (Emily Blunt) still lives at home with their father (Alan Arkin), and parties all the time. When Rose's married lover tells her about the lucrative field of crime-scene cleanup, she pours all her remaining resources into her new business, and recruits the squeamish Norah to help.
Director
Christine Jeffs
Producer
Peter Saraf, Marc Turtletaub, Jeb Brody, Glenn Williamson
Screenwriter
Megan Holly
Distributor
Overture Films
Production Co
Big Beach, Back Lot Pictures
Rating
R (Drug Use|Disturbing Images|Language|Some Sexuality)
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 27, 2009, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Dec 10, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$12.1M
Runtime
1h 42m