Avoid "Sunshine Cleaning" (4/09)

Summary: Two sisters start a business cleaning up crime scenes to make some extra cash.

“Sunshine Cleaning” is not going to change the world. The film is not going to spark protest, revolution or amnesty. “Sunshine Cleaning” desperately wants and tries so hard to get the audience to cry, laugh and reflect on the deeper meanings of life yet settles in ambiguity.

There are moments in the film when a chuckle arises and bit of sadness sneaks in but overall “Sunshine Cleaning” does not leave a lasting impression. One is most likely to exit the movie theater thinking, “That was a pleasant film…anyway, where are my keys?”

“Sunshine Cleaning” introduces us to Rose Lorkowski (Amy Adams) and Norah Lorkowski (Emily Blunt) who desperately need to make enough money to send Rose’s hyper-active son to private school. The two sisters start a business cleaning up crime scenes. They enter bloody homes and storefronts to remove hazardous waste and tidy any soiled messes.

Adam’s Rose is a former cheerleader and single mother who attracts womanizers but still maintains a sunny disposition. Blunt’s Norah cannot seem to keep a job that fits her blue highlights, tattoos and cynical attitude. The two women find a sense of purpose cleaning up after suicides and murders and eventually come to appreciate their business amidst their troubled lives.

Alan Arkin plays Rose and Norah’s father, Joe. He seems to still be playing the same grumpy grandfather with the heart of gold from “Little Miss Sunshine.” Arkin brings a touching no-nonsense presence to his scenes with Rose’s son, Oscar.

The problem with “Sunshine Cleaning” is not that it’s a terrible story or that it’s not entertaining. The problem is that the film just skims the surface when “Sunshine Cleaning” has the potential to do so much more.

The tragedy of an untimely death is never fully explored. The obvious pain and heartbreak is given little attention. The connection that could have been created between Rose, Norah and the victims would have given the film a distinct meaning. Instead the audience is given insecure romances, baby showers, and a house burning down.

“Sunshine Cleaning,” premiered at Sundance Film Festival in 2008 and has been marketed as a drama/comedy but has few memorable funny scenes. The running joke is that two pretty girls are cleaning up bodily fluids and scrubbing blood-spattered walls when they should be in wild romances or modeling or something. The hilarity loses momentum towards the middle of film when the novelty fades and the two sisters fail to create a bond.

The lack of resolution in “Sunshine Cleaning” makes the film more of a disappointment. The sub-plots that are created are never really teased out or explained. A one-arm man, an orphaned lesbian, and a lonely widow are all introduced and then brushed aside. The audience is left to assume an ending. The film wastes so much time setting up various stories that it has to rush an ending. One leaves the film feeling a bit ripped off.

The obvious talents of Adams and Blunt are not utilized in “Sunshine Cleaning.” They both put every bit of energy into their characters but the material prevents them from fully making Rose and Norah relatable and memorable.

“Sunshine Cleaning” is a pleasant yet unremarkable film. No matter how hard it tries to be complex and tragic it still does not meet the emotional depths that other indie films such as “The Waitress” and “Little Miss Sunshine” accomplished. “Sunshine Cleaning” had all the right ingredients to make an interesting, complex film. The terrific actors, original story, tragedy, and humorous dialogue could have made the film great but it settles on being merely okay.