Mature themes, violence, coarse language, sex scene, drug use and nudity
Origin: USA 2009
Director: Christine Jeffs
Cast: Amy Adams, Steve Zahn, Emily Blunt.
Running time: 91 minutes
‘It’s a racket, you should get into it,’ Steve Zahn’s adulterous cop Mac tells Rose (Amy Adams) about the lucrative opportunities that crime scene clean up offers, as they are about to fall into bed together in a motel room. It’s an idea that has little appeal to Rose – until she is desperate enough to try anything. It’s tough bringing up a child on your own (especially a super bright one with disruptive behaviour) and now, working as a maid with only a distant memory of her college days when she was a success as a cheerleader,
Rose’s self image is all negative. Adams allows all her emotions to show in her vulnerable face as she takes charge of her life. Emily Blunt’s Nora is the damaged younger sister who likes weird. Blunt gives an edgy performance that couples sensitivity and daredevil. She is the sentimental one and cannot help but become involved with tangible items from the places they clean up. Playing a role not dissimilar to the one he played in Little Miss Sunshine, Alan Arkin is the sisters’ scenestealing, stubborn, supportive and unpredictable father Joe who has unusual ideas of his own.
Clifton Collins Jr. plays Winston, the sympathetic one-armed cleaning supplier who makes model planes in his spare time. It’s a great character and one we wish we could get to know better. Jason Spevack is well cast as Oscar, the 8 year old who thinks a CB radio has a direct line to heaven.
The best reason to see this film is the performance by the two most egnimatic young actresses today, Emily Blunt and Amy Adams.
Source: Louise Keller www.urbancinefile.com.au
Compiled by: Jack Morton