Sunshine Cleaning (2008)

Director:

Christine Jeffs

Writer (WGA):

Megan Holley (written by)

Release Date:

27 March 2009 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

life's a messy business.

Plot:

In order to raise the tuition to send her young son to private school, a mom starts an unusual business -- a biohazard removal/crime scene clean-up service -- with her unreliable sister.

Plot Keywords:

Sisters | Suicide | Biohazard | High School Sweetheart | Crime Scene

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Amy Adams	...	Rose Lorkowski
Emily Blunt	...	Norah Lorkowski
Alan Arkin	...	Joe Lorkowski
Jason Spevack	...	Oscar Lorkowski
Steve Zahn	...	Mac
Mary Lynn Rajskub	...	Lynn
Clifton Collins Jr.	...	Winston
Eric Christian Olsen	...	Randy
Paul Dooley	...	Sherm
Kevin Chapman	...	Carl
Judith Jones	...	Paula Datzman-Mead
Amy Redford	...	Heather
Christopher Dempsey	...	Gun Shop Suicide
Vic Browder	...	Gun Shop Owner
Ivan Brutsche	...	Above and Beyond Worker
Arron Shiver	...	Detective
Ralph Jason Aukison	...	Gun Shop Employee #1
Cliff Garstka Sr.	...	Gun Shop Employee #2
Charles Domenici	...	Gun Shop Employee #3
Susie Yip	...	Mrs. Kim
Mike Miller	...	Counselor
Sarah Hudnut	...	Teacher
Anya Alyassin	...	Mac's Daughter
Pab Schwendimann	...	Apartment Super
William Sterchi	...	Candy Store Manager
Amber Midthunder	...	Candy Store Girl
Angelique Midthunder	...	Girl's Mother
Olive Gallagher	...	Seminar Speaker
Lois Geary	...	Mrs. Davis
Frank E. Cruz	...	Shrimp Truck Driver
Esodie Geiger	...	Reporter
Kevin Wiggins	...	Police Officer
Epifanio Hernández	...	Restaurant Owner
McKenna Hutton	...	Young Rose
Mason Frank	...	Young Norah
Marya Beauvais	...	TV Waitress / Mother Lorkowski
Maddie Corman	...	Mousy Baby Shower Guest
Rebekah Wiggins	...	Peppy Shower Guest
Kristin Reese	...	Hinkle's Employee Singer #1
Veronica Hernandez	...	Hinkle's Employee Singer #2
Jourdan Reese	...	Hinkle's Employee Singer #3
Josh Berry	...	TV Detective
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Kathy Lamkin	...	Fair N Square Owner (uncredited)

Directed by
Christine Jeffs

Writing credits (WGA)
Megan Holley		(written by)

Produced by
Jeb Brody	....	producer
Bob Dohrmann	....	co-producer
Dave Gare	....	associate producer
Dan Genetti	....	associate producer
Peter Saraf	....	producer
Marc Turtletaub	....	producer
Glenn Williamson	....	producer

Original Music by
Michael Penn

Cinematography by
John Toon

Film Editing by
Heather Persons

Casting by
Avy Kaufman

Production Design by
Joseph T. Garrity

Art Direction by
Guy Barnes

Set Decoration by
Wendy Ozols-Barnes

Costume Design by
Alix Friedberg

Makeup Department
Debra Clair	....	key hair stylist (as Debra R. Clair)
Tarra D. Day	....	department head makeup (as Tarra Day)
Lisa Hill	....	additional makeup artist
Voni Hinkle	....	department head hair
Vanessa Jaramillo	....	additional makeup artist
Mary Hedges Lampert	....	key hair stylist (as Mary Lampert)
Karen McDonald	....	key makeup artist
Yvette Meely	....	additional hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Bob Dohrmann	....	unit production manager (as Robert J. Dohrmann)
Brent Morris	....	unit production manager: additional photography

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sarah Lemon	....	second second assistant director (as Sarah B. Lemon)
Chemen Ochoa	....	second assistant director (as Chemen A. Ochoa)
Gregory J. Smith	....	first assistant director
Marcia Woske	....	additional assistant director

Art Department
Jamie Archer	....	construction coordinator
David D. Baumann	....	assistant property master
Rick Belosic	....	propmaker
Craig P. Bradley	....	set dresser
Benjamin Joseph Bustos	....	set dresser (as Benjamin J. Bustos)
Jason Critchfield	....	set painter
James Duddy	....	set dresser
Gary Eilar	....	set dresser
Dan Fitzgerald	....	storyboard artist
Severino Gonzales	....	lead person
Dwayne Grady	....	property master (as Dwayne David Grady)
Mike J. Hanrahan	....	set dresser
Eddie Jimenez	....	propmaker
Ester Kim	....	additional props
Ellen Lampl	....	graphic designer
Johnny Long	....	greensman
Amahl Lovato	....	set designer (as Amahl H. Lovato)
Steven Maes	....	graphic designer
Leigh Maney	....	additional on-set props
Amy Marsh	....	art department coordinator (as Amy Elizabeth Marsh)
Edward McLoughlin	....	set decorator: re-shoots
David McQuade	....	assistant property master
Cee Moravec	....	on-set dresser
Randy Ortega	....	paint gang boss (as Randy E. Ortega)
Robert Ortega	....	paint foreman
Chris Painter	....	set dresser
Brooke Peters	....	art department coordinator: reshoots
Wilhelm Pfau	....	set dressing buyer
Mark Purtill	....	propmaker
Ian Scroggins	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Deb Adair	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bryan Arenas	....	sound consultant: Dolby
Michael J. Benavente	....	supervising sound editor
Gary C. Bourgeois	....	sound re-recording mixer
Laurel Bridges	....	boom operator
Bayard Carey	....	production sound mixer: pick-ups
David B. Cohn	....	sound effects editor
Lori Dovi	....	sound mixer
Cole Gittinger	....	sound utility
Eric Harwood	....	sound mix technician
Tricia Linklater	....	supervising sound editor
Martin Lopez	....	sound designer
Ryan Maguire	....	foley mixer
Fred Peck III	....	sound mix technician
Joan Rowe	....	foley artist
Sean Rowe	....	foley artist
Eric Thompson	....	adr mixer
John Weitz	....	utility sound technician: pick-ups

Special Effects by
Scott Hastings	....	special effects technician
Daniel Holt	....	special effects foreman
Margaret Johnson	....	special effects coordinator
Randy E. Moore	....	special effects rigging foreman

Visual Effects by
Michael Plescia	....	Flame artist: Digiscope
Brennan Prevatt	....	compositing supervisor: Digiscope
Janet Quen	....	senior flame artist
Dana Robinson	....	digital artist: Digiscope
Laurel Lyn Schulman	....	digital effects producer: Digiscope (as Laurel Schulman)
Christopher Stack	....	imaging supervisor: Digiscope
Robert Vega	....	title animator

Stunts
Trine Christensen	....	stunt double: Norah
Al Goto	....	stunt coordinator
John Koyama	....	stunts
Jodi Michelle Pynn	....	stunt double: Norah
Kevin L. Jackson	....	stunt coordinator (uncredited)
John Koyama	....	stunt rigger (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Steve Banister	....	first assistant "a" camera: second unit
Nick Barros	....	rigging electrician
Chip Byrd	....	first assistant camera
Thomas Campbell	....	electrician
Erick Castillo	....	film loader
David Cummings	....	grip
Theda Cunningham	....	first assistant camera (as Theda Streetman)
Dan Delgado	....	gaffer
Clinton Dougherty	....	camera operator: "a" camera (as Clint Dougherty)
Ryan Eustis	....	second assistant camera
Frank Eyers	....	video assist
Steven G. Fracol	....	Steadicam operator
George Greene	....	electrician (as George H. Greene)
Trevor Howe	....	grip
Tom Hutchinson	....	second assistant camera
Derek Johnson	....	grip
Gary Kangrga	....	key grip
Kirk LeBlanc	....	electrician
Nikki LeBlanc	....	electrician
Jeff Lomaglio	....	grip
Rob Lueker	....	electrician
Emily Mackley	....	first assistant camera (as Emily Mackley Nagle)
Louis Nelson	....	electrician (as Lou Nelson)
Patrick Noland	....	grip
Ray Ortega	....	best boy electric
Tim Pershing	....	dolly grip
Chris Sipes	....	grip
John Stearns	....	electrician
Lacey Terrell	....	still photographer
Jim Threadgill	....	best boy grip
David Cummings	....	dolly grip: "b" camera (uncredited)

Animation Department
Robert Vega	....	title animator

Casting Department
Sheila Berkheimer	....	casting assistant: New Mexico
Jo Edna Boldin	....	casting: New Mexico
Kate Carlin	....	adr voice casting
Elizabeth Gabel	....	extras casting
Marie A. Kohl	....	casting associate: New Mexico
Hannah Macpherson	....	casting assistant: New Mexico
Leeba Zakharov	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Barbara Lee Brice	....	seamstress (as Barbara Brice)
Debra Chapman	....	seamstress
Linda Huse	....	costume supervisor
Wendy R. Kennedy	....	costume production assistant
Maili Lafayette	....	costumer: LA
Daniela Moore	....	costume supervisor (as Daniela Landrith)
Molly O'Haver	....	key costumer
Kent Alan Parker	....	key costumer
Claire Sandrin	....	set costumer
Alison M. Schmidt	....	costumer: LA
Amy Sexton	....	costume production assistant

Editorial Department
David Buchwald	....	post-production assistant
Todd Crawford	....	digital intermediate assistant
Jim Eberle	....	digital intermediate on-line editor
Roger Fenton	....	assistant editor
Naomi Geraghty	....	additional editor
Mia Goldman	....	editorial consultant
Terry Haggar	....	color timer
Lesley Hansen	....	post-production assistant
David James Kelly	....	post-production assistant
Jerimiah Morey	....	digital intermediate assistant
Mark T. Osborne	....	digital intermediate colorist
Chris Patterson	....	associate editor
Arturo Sosa	....	first assistant editor
Ian Turpen	....	digital intermediate scanner: Company 3 (uncredited)

Music Department
Jay Bellerose	....	musician: percussion (as Jay Belrose)
John Carbonara	....	music editor
Ryan Freeland	....	music recording engineer
Susan Jacobs	....	music supervisor
Greg Leisz	....	musician: pedal steel
Bruce MacFarlane	....	music recording engineer
Craig MacIntyre	....	musician: percussion
Patrick Warren	....	musician: keyboards
Patrick Warren	....	orchestrator
Ronald J. Webb	....	music editor (as Ron Webb)
David Majzlin	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)
Albert Thrower	....	music clearances (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Mary B. Borg	....	driver
Greg Bronner	....	production driver (as Gregory M. Bronner)
George M. Brown	....	driver (as George Brown)
Joe Bufalino	....	driver
Al Cantu	....	driver
Phyllis Cantu	....	driver
Billy P. Cook	....	driver
Frank E. Cruz	....	driver
Josh Foley	....	driver
Roy A. Grace	....	driver
Jerry Harvey	....	driver
Chris Hicks	....	driver
Penny Hicks	....	driver (as Penny M. Hicks)
David L. Inman	....	driver (as David Inman)
Brian Kay	....	transportation captain (as Brian 'Bird' Kay)
Anthony Lebow	....	driver
Elie Littauer	....	driver
Jimmy W. Masterson	....	driver
Collin Meador	....	driver (as Colin Meador)
Dennis Milliken	....	transportation coordinator (as Dennis W. Millikin)
C.D. Corky Newberry	....	driver
Chris I. Quintana	....	driver (as Chris Quintana)
Kino Quintana	....	driver
Patrick A. Reynolds Jr.	....	driver (as Patrick A. Reynolds)
Boots Southerland	....	driver
Paul Walker	....	driver
Charley Bob Burnham	....	driver (uncredited)
Lyle Christensen	....	shotmaker driver (uncredited)
Rita Lundin	....	transportation (uncredited)

Other crew
Doug Acton	....	medic
Lisa Alsop	....	assistant: Emily Blunt
Cayley Bell	....	assistant: Mr. Arkin
Anna Burd	....	assistant production coordinator/travel
Winter Cantagallo	....	set production assistant
Tim Carlson	....	utility stand-in
Tim Carroll	....	animal wrangler
Nick Cessac	....	accounting staff assistant
Trine Christensen	....	stand-in: Norah
Michael Clark	....	assistant: Big Beach
Angie Lee Cobbs	....	co-production coordinator
Dawn Darfus	....	production accountant
Nicholas R. Doyle	....	key office production assistant
Fernando Echeverri	....	set production assistant
Jacqueline Eckhouse	....	production attorney (as Jackie Eckhouse)
Breanna Ellis	....	stand-in: Rose (as Bre Ellis)
Brooke Fair	....	craft service
Carrie Fleming	....	assistant to producers
Jennifer Zolten Freed	....	post production accountant (as Jennifer Freed)
Dave Gare	....	production executive
Audrey Garrison	....	studio teacher
Andre Gaudry	....	location manager
Don Gray	....	location scout
Patricia Greer	....	production assistant
Emily Gruendike	....	set production assistant (as Emily L. Gruendike)
Mike Guffey	....	office production assistant
Dia Hahn	....	studio teacher
Lesley Hansen	....	assistant to director
Lauren Hollingsworth	....	assistant: Ms. Heffs
Keith Jackson	....	set production assistant
Glen Kappy	....	stand-in: Joe
Nikki Kelly	....	assistant: Ms. Blunt
Joanna Kennedy	....	script supervisor
Ashley Kravitz	....	clearances
Ryan Lacen	....	set production assistant
Dar Larizadeh	....	balloon coordinator/owner
Liz Lash	....	assistant: Ms. Adams
Michael Lawson	....	unit publicist
Jennifer Mancuso	....	assistant to cast: re-shoots
Leigh Maney	....	assistant: Mr. Spevak
Luis Martinez	....	set production assistant (as Louie Martinez)
Matt Mcalister	....	production assistant
Charissa McLain	....	production coordinator (as Charissa Deann McLain)
Emily McMaster	....	production executive: Big Beach
Maryl McNally	....	assistant: Ms. Heffs
Paul Merritt	....	office production assistant (as Paul Quence Merritt)
Liz Modena	....	post production accountant
David Muscatine	....	first assistant accountant
Ariana Nash	....	unit publicist
Tiffany Patterson	....	additional set production assistant
Ryan J. Pezdirc	....	set production assistant: reshoots
Michael Richards	....	stand-in: Oscar
Paul B. Roberts	....	location manager: reshoots
Nicholas Salinas	....	medic
Veronica Sanchez	....	assistant: Ms. Adams
Tony Shandra	....	payroll accountant
Jon-Eric Singleton	....	office production assistant
Rebecca Puck Stair	....	location manager: New Mexico (as Rebecca 'Puck' Stair)
Hunter Standen	....	assistant production coordinator/travel
Marcus Taylor	....	set production assistant
Betty Weaver	....	production coordinator: additional photography
Brayn Lee White	....	office production assistant
Tobias Swift White	....	key craft service
Ayla Wilder	....	production assistant
Justin T. Williams	....	assistant location manager
William Arute	....	stand-in: Steve Zahn (uncredited)
Newton Bass	....	location manager: reshoots (uncredited)
Tara Hahn	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Tracey Horsley	....	stand-in: Photo Double (uncredited)

Thanks
Paul Maxwell	....	special thanks
Brian Schornak	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Back Lot Pictures
• Big Beach Films
• Clean Sweep Productions

Distributors

• A-Film Distribution (2009) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Capelight Pictures (2008) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Festive Films (2009) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Golden Village Pictures (2009) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Overture Films (2009) (USA) (theatrical)
• Phantom Film (2009) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Surreal Films (2009) (France) (theatrical)
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (2009) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (UK) (2009) (UK) (all media)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• CN Entertainment (2009) (Hong Kong) (DVD)
• MG Film (2009) (Croatia) (all media)
• Madman Entertainment (2008) (Australia) (all media)
• Madman Entertainment (2008) (New Zealand) (all media)
• Paradox Entertainment Group (2009) (Canada) (DVD)
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (2009) (Sweden) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Digiscope (digital visual effects)
• Great FX (uncredited)

Other Companies

• Act One Script Clearance  script research
• Big Time Picture Company  post-production facilities
• Camera Service Center  camera equipment (as ARRI/Camera Service Center)
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  dollies
• Cinetic Media  U.S. sales
• Company 3  digital intermediate
• Deborah Ross Film Design  title design
• Lakeshore Records  soundtrack
• Mimeograph Records  score recording facility (as Mimeograph)
• Murphy PR  publicity
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• Reel Chefs Catering  catering
• SabuCat Productions  stock footage
• Scarlet Letters  end titles
• Sloss Eckhouse Brennan Law  legal services (as Sloss, Eckhouse, Brennan)
• Sony Pictures Studios  post-production sound services

MPAA:

Rated R for language, disturbing images, some sexuality and drug use.

Runtime:

91 min | Germany:102 min (European Film Market)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #44055) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | Netherlands:12 | UK:15 | Sweden:7 | Ireland:15A | Germany:12 | Japan:PG-12 | New Zealand:R16 | Australia:M | Singapore:M18 | Hong Kong:IIB | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Finland:K-11 | Singapore:NC-16 (edited for re-rating) | South Korea:15 | Denmark:11 | France:U | Turkey:13+

Filming Locations:

Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

Company:

Back Lot Pictures

Trivia:

Amy Adams played the girlfriend of John Krasinski's character Jim Halpert on "The Office" (2005) during parts of the first and second seasons. Emily Blunt is Krasinski's girlfriend in real life.

Quotes:

Rose Lorkowski: There's not a lot that I am good at. But I'm good at getting guys to want me. Not date me, or marry me, but want me.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Moviemaking in Virginia: Take 3 (2008) (V)

Soundtrack:

Modestra Ayala

Adams and Blunt are remarkable

Of late, independent films seem to fall into three ruts; the quirky indie film, the contrived indie film and the quirkily contrived indie film. Thankfully, for the most part, Sunshine Cleaning manages to avoid these associated pitfalls, and is instead a benchmark for how two sensational performances can succeed in drastically improving the quality of a film.

These aforementioned indie clichés are quite the conundrum when looked at thoughtfully. The birth of independent film-making stemmed from creativity and desire to be liberated from the shadow of the major movie conglomerates. Yet now, most of these offbeat flicks are as cold and calculated as any big budget summer movie and often drown in wacky plots and bizarre characters which are not of what free film should be an expression.

Starring the consistently stellar and always delightful leading ladies of Amy Adams and Emily Blunt, Sunshine Cleaning tells the bittersweet story of two sisters (Adams and Blunt) and their struggles to purge the horror of their mother's suicide and live normal lives. Adams as Rose and Blunt as Norah are polar opposites; Rose was the head cheerleader in high school and aches to regain that notoriety in her adult life and Norah the 'screw-up', the black sheep of the family. They are held together loosely by Rose's son Oscar and their father (Alan Arkin) that is until they find themselves in need of work. Through a less than professional police connection of Rose's (Steve Zahn) they come to start a crime scene cleanup service called Sunshine Cleaning and while they sought money, they ended up finding something more profound.

Adams and Blunt truly are remarkable and give bonafide Oscar worthy performances. Their characters never fall to any deprecating indie quirks, and are fully realized individuals. Zahn is solid in a smaller role, as is Clifton Collins Jr. as a clean-up store owner and all lend to a story that did not by any means conclude where I was suspecting. Many of the subplots are left open, but not in a unsatisfying way and while featuring ups and downs along the way, Sunshine Cleaning manages to find a hopeful tone without being sticky sweet. Perhaps by favourite aspect outside of the performances was Adam's character. We have seen in many films the former cheerleader who has grown up under the shadow of the 'losers' of their school, but never have I seen such an honest look from the view of the former. Perhaps this is a testament to Adams acting skills, but I was impressed nevertheless.

Sunshine Cleaning keeps you involved based on characters alone. There is certainly humour, tragedy and emotion to drive the story but all is born from the relationship between this broken family. I wish fresh faced director Christine Jeffs had forgone all the trends of the recent independent film movement, but there is still more then enough to admire about Sunshine Cleaning, and even more to love.