| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Amy Adams | ... | ||
| Emily Blunt | ... | ||
| Alan Arkin | ... |
Joe
|
|
| Jason Spevack | ... | ||
| Steve Zahn | ... | ||
| Mary Lynn Rajskub | ... | ||
| Clifton Collins Jr. | ... | ||
| Eric Christian Olsen | ... |
Randy
|
|
| Paul Dooley | ... |
Sherm
|
|
| Kevin Chapman | ... | ||
| Judith Jones | ... | ||
| Amy Redford | ... |
Heather
|
|
| Christopher Dempsey | ... |
Gun Shop Suicide
|
|
| Vic Browder | ... |
Gun Shop Owner
|
|
|
|
Ivan Brutsche | ... |
Above and Beyond Worker
|
A family. Rose and Norah, in Albuquerque, lost their mother when they were young. Rose is responsible - a housecleaner, raising her seven-year-old son Oscar. She's also having an affair with Mac, a married cop, her high-school sweetheart. Norah can't hold a job. Their dad, Joe, is quirky. When Oscar is expelled for odd behavior, Rose wants to earn enough to send him to private school. Mac suggests she clean up after crime scenes, suicides, and deaths that go undiscovered for awhile. Rose enlists Norah, and Sunshine Cleaners is born. Norah bonds with the dead, Rose finds out that it's a regulated business, and complications arise. Can a family marked by tragedy sort things out? Written by <jhailey@hotmail.com>
I find that when people ask me what this movie is about I have a hard time successfully telling them. Read the synopsis by all means, but like most summaries it barely scratches the surface. It's a story about a mother who leaves her family in the most permanent way imaginable. It's about a father struggling to maintain his unflappable optimism, a sister whose self-esteem leads her into self-sabotaging habits, another who is in complete emotional freefall, a son who is becoming aware of his family's dynamic and how it compares to the rest of the world's and how they manage to regain their footing by pursuing a very unusual profession. At its heart it is always about family. At their best Amy Adams and Emily Blunt are some of the most talented actresses working today and I was happy to see them both in a script worthy of their skills. Both are gifted at line delivery, but some of their most powerful scenes are nonverbal. The dynamic between all the characters is thoroughly real and enjoyable. I found myself very satisfied by all their resolutions. It was an excellent story to watch unfold.