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Sunshine Cleaning
User Score
6.3 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 47 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 31 out of 47
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 47
  3. Negative: 10 out of 47

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  1. TM
    Oct 3, 2009
    3
    Why was this movie marketed as a darkly quirky comedy when it's a maudlin drama with a few giggles in it. Though the performances are generally good, I found myself getting annoyed at the lack of development of the characters. It seems like they are screwed before the story begins and and will probably end up screwed in the long run. Though there is an implication of hope at the end (after 80 mins of pretty much hopeless despair)... when you think about the crap lives they've gotten in the first place, you realize the odds are stacked so far against them there is almost no realistic way out of their respective circles of doom. My rating would of been a five if I had any hint before hand that I was going to see a quirky tragedy with a chuckle or two. One side note... though I found Clifton Collins Jr.'s character to be the warmest and most centered in the movie, I have no idea what dramatic purpose his character really had. That's a shame... because I think they could of done a lot more with him.… Expand
    • 0 of 1 users said yes
  2. JM
    Sep 9, 2009
    6
    I wasn't disappointed I watched it I just wasn't glad either; I didn't feel satisfied. Adams, Blunt and Arkin are good but there isn't enough plot depth to make the movie, that blame lies with Megan Holley. There are some great moments just too sparse to be really effective. Clifton Collins, Jr. first El Huron, now Winston, wow what a diverse and welcoming actor. While I think the movie did feel real is just wasn't enough.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  3. KellyP
    Apr 10, 2009
    8
    Why is this film only playing in one theatre in my city (Toronto)? It's one of the better films we've seen in a while. It's touching and funny and real. Kudos to Adams and Blunt who both deliver incredible performances. It was a pleasant surprise - and deserving of a higher score.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  4. StevenK
    Apr 4, 2009
    8
    Unusual premise, great acting, Alan Arkin, what more could you ask for.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  5. DaveE
    Apr 6, 2009
    4
    Not a comedy, and that's what I was in the mood for. Not bad, but a disappointment for me. Amy Adams gives a one-note, doe-eyed performance. Much better job by Emily Blunt.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  6. averyc
    Sep 22, 2009
    4
    Adams and Blunt are pretty and decent. Arkin is annoying, as always. This movie is tepid and bland like 'Little Miss Sunshine'. Just because something is slow and not about affluent people in NYC or Los Angeles does not make it deep, profound, or moving. Watching this film is like hanging out with boring people in a Starbucks. These slow and/or contemplative films are terrific: Solaris, Before Sunset, L'Avventura, Away From Her, Exotica, The Graduate, Scene From a Marriage. Those are great films. Those films are, by and large, about interesting people going through dark hours. 'Sunshine Cleaning' is about boring people going through tough times. Absolutely nothing interesting was done with the characters' proximity to death. That constitutes a huge failure of narrative and psychological imagination. If I sound pissy, it's because I resent when tedium and vapidity masquerade as depth. That excerpt from Rosenblatt's Austin Chronicle review is dead on.… Expand
    • 0 of 1 users said yes
  7. DWilly
    Mar 28, 2009
    8
    I came late to this movie because of the stupid metacritic score and my trepidation for movies that traffic in quirkiness, but this is not quirky, it is good and it has real heft and it has two major actors in Amy Adams and Emily Blunt doing their jobs as artists in a story that holds together with something to say. It does hang close to the "Little Miss Sunshine" formula, but that's not a rap, all the good film noir pictures I've seen stuck to their formula, too. I laughed out loud and it brought me to tears a couple of times and I walking out I was glad I saw it-- that's a movie.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  8. LarryS
    Apr 10, 2009
    9
    Terrific little film. Amy Adams and Emily Blunt are fabulous!
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  9. LeifD
    Apr 13, 2009
    8
    A clever and entertaining film. The characters are believable and likable. Alan Arkin, as always, delivers a superb supporting performance.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  10. MikeMike
    Apr 4, 2009
    8
    A subtle and poignant film. The acting is supurb and the story is sweet. Might not be enough of a story for those who need every question answered in over-elaborate melodrama, but is just a nice film for everyone else. Great to see a movie that's not overdone. Go see it before it fades from theatres.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  11. carow
    Apr 4, 2009
    1
    Phony, trite, saccharine and entirely calculated -- a kitschy waste of time that condescends to working class people and to women. I say this as someone who likes Amy Adams and Emily Blunt, and who sees more independent movies by far than "big" ones. "Sunshine Cleaning" is to a truly original, honest small film as a convenience store "cherry" "pie" is to a homemade one -- 100% artificial ingredients.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  12. MitchR
    May 15, 2009
    3
    A vapid, artificial movie. Hardly a true moment in this ponderous parade of cliches. And Arkin phones it in.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  13. TatianaO
    Sep 18, 2009
    8
    Amy Adams does an amazing job in this sweet movie. It makes you want to help out people and be more understanding with people that you do not get. Thumbs up!
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  14. SteveM
    Jun 12, 2009
    10
    Loved it, Amy and Emily Blunt are terrific.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  15. smijatov
    Mar 7, 2011
    7
    This was a rather intelligent comedy, with an interesting story and some great acting. The rather unusual plot makes it rather amusing and intriguing to watch, since I've never seen a film that was about post-mortem cleanup - you? Anyway, the storyline is rather interesting, and the only problem is in the lack of development of the characters, mainly by the end of the film. Yes, one of the two sisters decided that she is 'better than that' and that she will end the affair she was having with a guy. But that's about it. There is no reflection on it. The other sister decides to just take a road trip and disappear. Why? No one knows... Also, the relationship with her (girl)friend just ends abruptly without any sort of pondering upon that. Those are definitely weaknesses in the film, but the laughs, giggles and plenty of good dramatic moments make up for it. The cast is great, especially Emily Blunt who had the most expressive performance in quite a while. Amy Adams was her usual greatness, and Alan Arkin was ok - very much the same character he played in "Little Miss Sunshine". Overall, despite some problems with the character development and the storyline, "Sunshine Cleaning" is a heart-warming dramedy with interesting events and good acting. Definitely worth watching!… Expand
  16. tonyGreen
    Jun 3, 2011
    7
    It has gravity but it's not overdone. Great performances from all the cast, but particularly Amy Adams. Not a lot happens, but there is a lot going on underneath.
  17. Kingmush
    Sep 27, 2010
    7
    http://mashupmash.blogspot.com/2010/09/sunshine-cleaning.html I remember seeing this movie on shelves in blockbuster liking the looks of it, especially when I heard it was from the same producers as Little Miss Sunshine. So recently I downloaded it and gave it a watch. In many ways it was similar to Little Miss Sunshine. Dysfunctional family and all. Maybe I just like those types of movies as I really liked this one as well. Loved all the characters and their unique and deep troubles they all go through. I do recommend this especially if you like movies such as Little Miss Sunshine. I give it a 4 out of 5.… Expand
  18. perrywinkle
    Jan 3, 2011
    0
    This movie was a big disappointment. The slow moving undeveloped plot never got off the ground and crashed on the runway. I had no empathy or patience with the characters and I would have had more satisfaction if they had all burned up in the house. I kept waiting for a humorous scene but it never came. It was more befitting an episode on a TV series than a movie.
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Critic Reviews

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Metascore
61 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 32 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 22 out of 32
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 32
  3. Negative: 0 out of 32
  1. The Hollywood Reporter
    Reviewed by: Kirk Honeycutt
    70
    Amy Adams and Emily Blunt are two highly attractive, naturally funny actresses on the cusp of stardom so their pairing here as two lost souls is genius.
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  2. Variety
    Reviewed by: Todd McCarthy
    50
    Director Christine Jeffs, who previously helmed "Rain" and "Sylvia," tries to strike a balance between the yarn's dark currents and offbeat comedy, but the result is often uneasy, with the humor receding as things progress.
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  3. Village Voice
    Reviewed by: Robert Wilonsky
    50
    More than a year after its first twirl at Sundance, this Amy Adams–Emily Blunt dramedy finally shrugs its way into theaters, and it feels almost like an afterthought.
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