SUNSHINE CLEANING

US, 2008, 102 minutes, Colour.
Amy Adams, Emily Blunt, Alan Arkin, Jason Spevack, Steve Zahn, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Clifton Collins Jr.
Directed by Christine Jeffs.

Sunshine Cleaning has a lot of things going for it. It's offbeat. It's not a studio film. It's entertaining. It's funny and it's sad. It has a happy ending but not one that is all tied up neatly.

When a film begins with a man buying a gun and slipping bullets into it and shooting himself in the shop, you know you are in for something different. One doesn't normally give much (or any?) thought to the men and women who have to come in and clean up a crime scene (although we did see Harvey Keitel come in to remove the blood and brains in Pulp Fiction). Sunshine Cleaning is the optimistic name that Rose Lorkowski thinks up for the company she starts with her sister, Norah. And, while Norah finds it difficult (she is something of a slacker), Rose finds that it could lead to a calling in life.

Rose's life is a disappointment. Unmarried, with a precocious son, she works as a maid. She is also having an affair with her married schooldays' sweetheart. He does her one good turn (he is a police officer). He suggests the cleaning job.

The film could have gone in all directions but it keeps a satisfying ironic tone, does not revel in the uglier aspects of the work which it does not shy from, in fact offers the human side of murder and suicide tragedies. It also keeps a deep sense of humanity which means that most audiences will be caught up in the relationships of the two sisters and their relationship to their father.

The cast is excellent. In recent years, Amy Adams has proven herself quite versatile in her range of roles (princess in Enchanted, nun in Doubt) and becomes the solid centre here. Emily Blunt, who is also showing versatility (queen in The Young Victoria, assistant in The Devil Wears Prada), is the sister. Alan Arkin is the eccentric father. Steve Zahn is the police officer. And Clifton Collins Jr has a sympathetic and important role as a one-armed shop manager. And Jason Spevack is good as the misunderstood son who relates well with his grandfather. New Zealand director, Christine Jeffs, brings an empathetic female perspective to the characters.

Despite what might seem unpromising material, this is a surprising and pleasant feel-good film.

1.An offbeat film, quirky, human, interesting, different?

2.The New Mexico settings, the city of Albuquerque, homes, hotels, shops? Ordinary?

3.The crime scenes and the touch of the extraordinary? The opening, the man going into the shop, buying the shotgun, the bullets, killing himself? The crime scene? Themes of deaths, scenes, blood, dirt, disorder, smell, decay? The personal stories behind the deaths? The audiences sharing the experience of going to the crime scenes and the cleaning?

4.Amy Adams as Rose? The portrait of Rose, her age, her son, no father, relating to her son, her sister, her father? Alone, her son at school, being different? Affirming him, spoiling him? Relying on her father to look after him? Norah, babysitting, the ghost stories and his nightmares? Her sense of responsibility? Her mother’s suicide, her care for Norah? For her father? The story of the television movie, her mother being in it, her line? And the two sisters finally seeing it? The hotel, her cleaning? Real estate classes? Her affair with Mac, the past, his marrying Heather instead of her, her wondering about it? The phone call from school, the interview with the principal, the teacher, Oscar’s strange behaviour, licking (and Norah’s story)? The issue of another school, the need for money, phoning Mac and his being upset at the phone call at home? Mac’s suggestion about the job, Rose and Norah going, the work, the shock? Going to the shop, meeting Winston, the information, the background of courses, Rose attending them, health issues? Buying the equipment? Buying the truck? The suicide and the throwing out of all the possessions? Rose and her need for continued self-affirmation? Mac not coming to the rendezvous? Her reliance on Winston, his being genial? Minding Oscar? The discussion with the pregnant woman, the friendship from school, the fact that she had not developed as expected after being the chief cheerleader? Going to the baby shower, getting Winston to look after Oscar, her father and his getting rid of the shrimp? The fire, her anger with Norah? Oscar’s party, inviting Winston? The frank talk with Norah? Going back to work in the hotel, her new life? Her father selling the house? Buying the truck, the emblem, from 1963? Starting a company? The detail of Rose’s portrait, empathy with her? The baby shower and her explanation to the women about her life, what she did – and her seeing it as personal and a vocation?

5.The portrait of Norah, Emily Blunt? Younger, a slacker, sleeping, fired from her job, telling creepy stories to Oscar, living with her father, her going from job to job? Her reaction to her mother’s death, unable to remember very much about her? Wanting to see the television movie? Going to the work, finding it distasteful, finding the personal material for Lynn’s mother? Keeping it? Finding where Lynn lived, following her, denying it in the elevator? The further meetings, Lynn and the dependence, wanting a relationship, taking her to the clubs, outings, talking? Giving back the mementoes? Lynn’s anger, the truth about her mother? Norah and her learning from these personal encounters? The accident of the fire? The background of her mother, the funeral, remembering only the shoes? Her decision to travel?

6.Oscar, his age, the absent father? Precocious, curious, acting out? Norah and the stories? School, the principal? Helping the grandfather with the sale in the shop? Friendship with Winston, blunt asking about his arm, curious about his work, the bond? His wanting the binoculars, his grandfather and the memory of his wife? The party, his enjoyment?

7.The father, his life, the death of his wife, bringing up the girls, love for Oscar, his schemes with the shrimps, trying to sell them to the restaurants, failing, having to throw them out? His relationship with each of his daughters? With Oscar, the binoculars, the party? Selling the house, forming the company?

8.Mac, the schooldays sweetheart, joining the police, marrying, the affair, the phone calls at home, his relationship with his wife – and her coming to tell Rose off?

9.Winston, the shop, his manner, having only one arm? The advice from Carl? With Oscar, the equipment, the making of the model planes? Advice? Minding Oscar, coming to the party?

10.The background of the women from school, their lives, families, success?

11.Lynn, her story, relationship with her mother, her reaction to Norah, her disappointment?

12.The Sunshine Cleaning, the job, a reality, skills, interest? The future?