Sunshine Cleaning Through the producers of Little Skip SUNSHINE comes the charming Sundance hit SUNSHINE Cleaning, a spirited comedy-drama starring Amy Adams (DOUBT, ENCHANTED) as single-mom Rose Lorkowski, a plucky ex-cheerleader now cleansing homes and getting an affair with her high-school sweetheart, Mac (Steve Zahn). When Mac, a police detective, suggests the profitable task possibilities in crime-scene cleanup, Rose enlists her sister, Norah (Emily Blunt), to join her inside the gory but ultimately satisfying organization enterprise. The sisterly chemistry among Adams and Blunt is impressive and forms the crux of their characters' development throughout the film: Roses optimism--reciting self-affirmations and positive spins on her occupation ("Its a development industry")--complements Norahs cynical, wickedly humorous exterior, which hides her bruised, susceptible heart. Rounding out this likable cast is Alan Arkin, showing as Joe, the sisters' lovably grumpy father, and Jason Spevack, who plays Roses eight-year-old son, Oscar. SUNSHINE Cleansing has all of the familiar substances of a small independent feature (dysfunctional household spanning three generations, offbeat comic scenarios, dark emotional subtext), but thanks for the keen directorial hand of Christine Jeffs (who also directed the Sylvia Plath biopic, SYLVIA), along with a intelligent screenplay from first-time writer Megan Holley, the film manages to transcend indie-film quirkiness, offering a heartfelt tale of household bonds and the unanticipated curveballs in lifes street.

• published: 26 Aug 2013
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