Thursday, Oct. 15, 2009
"Sunshine Cleaning"
Why is it that all the best dramedies have "Sunshine" in the title? "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," "Little Miss Sunshine" and now "Sunshine Cleaning" all have the right balance of drama and comedy. It is easy to lose that balance, to teeter one way or the other, to get overly dramatic and forget the comedy. Or you can go the other way and forsake the reality of a good drama, just to go for a cheap laugh. "Sunshine Cleaning" is just another spotlight to show off Amy Adams as one of the best young actresses working today. The whole cast is made up of accomplished actors - Steve Zhan, Emily Blunt and Alan Arkin, who should be used to the "Sunshine" titles by starring as Adams' father in this one and the perverted grandfather in "Little Miss Sunshine." Blunt is great as the wild counterpoint to Adams' quiet reserve. Zhan plays against type as a cheating husband, but the situation is believable because it is Adams' empathetic perspective we see him in. Adams is stacking up a pile of work that could turn into something big, already being nominated for an Oscar with last year's "Doubt." If she keeps up this level of work, one day we will never confuse her with Isla Fisher again. Definitely rent this little slice of "Sunshine."