Sunshine Cleaning - C+

On DVD and Blu-ray

Single mom Rose (Amy Adams) struggles to get by working as a cleaning lady. She's having an affair with Mac, a married cop (Steve Zahn), and has an unstable sister (Emily Blunt) who can't hold down a job. When Mac recommends cleaning up crime scenes to score some quick cash, Rose finds a way to solve some of life's problems. But her desire to be accepted by high society will cause as many problems as her sister, who feels much more than she thinks. The film is just like every indie film you've ever seen with quirky characters, situations that the crew and cast think are funny (but are not), and nauseatingly predictable life lessons. But Adams really shows her character's desperation well. Her best years (high school) are said to be behind her, but she's trying to change that . . .

The film gets an emotional boost toward the end as Rose and her sister finally come to terms with the suicide of their mother. The acting by Adams and Blunt is excellent and this makes up for the standard indie situations. The premise of cleaning of crime scenes is an interesting one and Blunt's part of the film (saving things from the scene and tracking down associated family members) has potential, but the side plot involving a lesbian attraction diminishes the impact. The film has a forced happy ending that contributes to the overall unevenness. C+