Junebug (2005)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Phil Morrison

Writer:

Angus MacLachlan (written by)

Release Date:

22 February 2006 (Belgium)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

A dealer in "outsider" art travels from Chicago to North Carolina to meet her new in-laws, challenging the equilibrium of this middle class Southern home.

Plot Keywords:

North Carolina | Art | Art Gallery | Pregnant | Artist

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 16 wins & 11 nominations

Cast

Embeth Davidtz	...	Madeleine
David Kuhn	...	Auctioneer
Alessandro Nivola	...	George Johnsten
Alicia Van Couvering	...	Bernadette
Jerry Minor	...	Scout who stays outside
Matt Besser	...	Scout who goes in
Will Oldham	...	Bill Mooney, scout
Frank Hoyt Taylor	...	David Wark
Scott Wilson	...	Eugene Johnsten
Ben McKenzie	...	Johnny Johnsten
Celia Weston	...	Peg Johnsten
Amy Adams	...	Ashley Johnsten
Bobby Tisdale	...	Norman Venable at Replacements, Ltd.
Beth Bostic	...	Lucille, the neighbor
Joanne Pankow	...	Sissy, David Wark's sister

MPAA:

Rated R for sexual content and language.

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Brazil:14 | UK:15 | Ireland:15A | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Australia:M | Germany:o.Al. | Finland:K-15 | South Korea:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Wake Forest University - 1834 Wake Forest Road, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA

Company:

Epoch Films

Trivia:

In the scene where Ashley (Amy Adams) does her sit up exercises, director Phil Morrison used a split screen, combining the performance of a real pregnant woman with Adams's head.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Madeleine is having her nails done, her right and left legs are crossed in different shots.

Quotes:

Ashley: God loves you just the way you are. But He loves you too much to let you stay that way.

Movie Connections:

References An Unseen Enemy (1912)

Soundtrack:

String Quartet No. 66 in G Major, Op. 77/1

Astoundingly free from clichés and types

What struck me most about this (amazing)movie was the characters' well-roundedness. George's family and residents of NC are completely believable, fleshed-out, and never just types. Having lived in the piedmont of NC for 11 years (and now living in Chicago) I felt like I was transplanted back with George and Madeleine. The Southern characters' rural way of life was balanced with complexity and the capacity for reflection.

As for the urban characters, they were just as whole and did not fall into urban stereotypes of being hard or snooty. More importantly, Madeleine was not condescending, but as a very well-traveled person would, she understood that they were real people despite their differences.

The humanity of all the characters does not seem careful or imposed (which could have resulted in a bland, politically-correct love-fest); the characters have a great deal of energy between them as they encounter differences and deal with them.