Sunshine Cleaning: A Good Movie

After checking this weekend's box office, it is safe to say that three movies are complete financial bombs: Adventureland, Observe & Report and the cream of the crop; Sunshine Cleaning. What do these movies have in common? All three films, at a glance, appear incredibly similar to previous hits. Adventureland and Observe & Report are to Superbad and Paul Blart where Sunshine Cleaning is to Little Miss Sunshine. However, Sunshine Cleaning has managed to melt my blackened heart when it comes to 'dark comedies' or 'light dramas'. There are a couple illogical moments that will have you scratching your head, but the performances from each cast member is what makes this movie worth the traveling to the theater.

Directed by Christine Jeffs, Sunshine Cleaning has all the trappings of a quirky family comedy which just-so-happens to be dealing with a suicide in the family [AWESOME!]. It is a real pick me up...err, if pick me ups are centered around remembering the saddest family events every waking moment of your life. What you will immediately notice will be the hard-luck mom who has made a lot of bad decisions, Rose Lorkowski [Amy Adams]. Rose may have an OCD son, a party animal for a younger sister [Norah, played by Emily Blunt] and a father who can not help, but to come up with hair-brained money making schemes on a daily basis [Alan Arkin]. Rose is has tons of moxie [an under used word].

 

As an example of Rose's awful decision making skills, she decides to shack up with an old, high school flame, Mac [Steve Zahn]; a cop who happens to be married with children. Thanks to Macs empty promises, but very real connections, Rose capitalizes on an opportunity as a biohazard removal/crime scene cleaner. Seeing as the 'feel' of a story like this is very similar to Little Miss Sunshine, down to the point of having Alan Arkin play almost the exact same character in both movies, it is up to the main characters as well as the supporting cast to keep us viewers interested, because the writing falters at points.

 

The shining stars clearly go to Adams and Blunt. Very believable sisters who, when not crying their eyeballs out in every other scene, come of as genuine. Blunt's character Norah has one of the more interesting side stories in the movie. Where she becomes attached to a victim of a newly dead family member. The supporting cast is pure genius. Typically, I hate children in 'grown-up' movies, but Jason Spevak [Oscar, and Rose's son] was absolutely charming. Oscar licks things, what's not to like about that!

 

The last character of note is Winston, played by Clifton Collins Jr., who essentially steals scenes whenever he is onscreen. Winston plays the eccentric one-harmed heartthrob that owns a heavy duty cleaning facility. Saying more about his role would be giving you too much of the movie, just know: Winston = Awesome!

 

The problems with Sunshine Cleaning are nitpicky at best. The fact that Rose is willing to leave her child with a one-armed stranger is alarming. Coping with your mother's suicide buy exposing your psyche to some of the grizzliest of human traumas is a stretch, but if you buy into it; the movie will win you over.

Taking all these flaws into account, the movie actually feels kind of perfect. Alan Arkin buys shrimp. There is a running side story of movies with waitresses that offer pie. In addition to all these great things there is a child who licks walls and a one-armed man who assembles model airplanes and helicopters.

I give Sunshine Cleaning...

the Bipolarity Award.

Because It'll Have You Crying + Laughing...Craphing?