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A sister act cleans up in "Sunshine Cleaning"

by
Dorothy Snarker

Movies with two female leads are rare. Movies with two female leads in which they aren’t fighting over a man are rarer still. And movies with two female leads in which they aren’t fighting over a man and are under the age of 50 are the rarest of all. So it was with this kind of Halley's Comet anticipation that I watched the new trailer for Sunshine Cleaning featuring Amy Adams and Emily Blunt. I was not disappointed.

The film, from the producers of Little Miss Sunshine (find a word that works and stick with it, I guess), is a sometimes comedic, sometimes dramatic look at two sisters — single mom Rose (Amy) and her slacker sister Norah (Emily) — who start a crime-scene cleanup business together to make money. Alan Arkin (another hold-over from Little Miss Sunshine) plays the sisters’ father.

While the set-up may sound a bit grim, the trailer left me smiling.

Quirky, smart, a little dark and a lot interesting, Sunshine Cleaning generated a lot of buzz when it premiered at Sundance in January. The film was rumored to have featured a kiss between Emily and Mary Lynn Rajskub (24), as a woman whose mother's body was one of the sister's cleanup jobs. But the scene was snipped in editing. Pity, because anyone who saw My Summer of Love knows Emily can smolder in same-sex scenarios.

Not only does Sunshine Cleaning bring together two of the most promising young actresses around, it is also written by a female screenwriter (Megan Holley) and helmed by a female director (Christine Jeffs). If anyone asks why it’s important to have more women behind the scenes in Hollywood, show them this trailer.

So, what do you think? Are you as happy as I am to see a film that follows the Bechdel Rule come to a theater near you? And how perfect are Amy and Emily as sisters? Wait, does anyone else feel like singing “Closer to Fine” all of a sudden?

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    • Submitted by
    Dorothy Snarker
    on October 13, 2008 - 12:00pm.
    TAGS :: 
    Munchkin_licker's picture

    Emily Blunt is the sex.

    Submitted by
    Munchkin_licker (81 posts)
    on October 13, 2008 - 12:17pm.
    Emily Blunt is the sex.
    katagin's picture

    LOVED the end of that clip.

    Submitted by
    Katagin (16 posts)
    on October 13, 2008 - 12:20pm.

    LOVED the end of that clip. I may have to see the movie just for that moment!

    Tegan: Everytime I see it, I just want to punch her in the face because I'm so excited for her.

    limors's picture

    Same here!

    Submitted by
    limors (63 posts)
    on October 13, 2008 - 12:36pm.

    .

    cassandra0543's picture

    Wow

    Submitted by
    chick1122 (49 posts)
    on October 13, 2008 - 12:24pm.
    This looks great. I'm so excited for this. And it did definitely leave me with a smile on my face. Wait, do we know when this is coming out or did i blatantly miss that part?
    chocolatebars's picture

    Looking forward to this...

    Submitted by
    chocolatebars (80 posts)
    on October 13, 2008 - 12:24pm.

    Didn't know about this movie, but now that I know it...YAY for Emily Blunt! And! I find Emily Blunt is still hot even though in the movie she cleans up crime scenes! ;)  

    Looks like a fun movie to watch! Sick of rom-com(i.e Made of Honor) or male lead roles(i.e everything that's in the cinemas now)

    P.S You put the tags as Amy Blunt instead of Amy Adams...Wishful thinking? Hehe

    miss chatelaine's picture

    oh, oh, wow!

    Submitted by
    miss chatelaine (319 posts)
    on October 13, 2008 - 12:27pm.

    With Emily Blunt looking all dykey, even with blue hair extensions? And Amy Adams with a ponytail, her nose-scrunching smile and her candyfloss voice? Not to mention the amazing Alan Arkin and Steve Zahn? I'm so in.

    Now, if we could just find a way to get them to release it in Asia...

    sgtmian's picture

    wee.

    Submitted by
    sgtmian (21 posts)
    on October 13, 2008 - 1:07pm.
    i can't wait for this. 
    notshane's picture

    Wow!

    Submitted by
    notshane (236 posts)
    on October 13, 2008 - 1:39pm.

    Its passes the Bechdel Test! I'm so going to see it. Besides, I've been intrigued by Emily Blunt since her big screen debut in My Summer of Love.

    http://bechdel.nullium.net/ 

    A Muse's picture

    I

    Submitted by
    A Muse (331 posts)
    on October 13, 2008 - 1:57pm.

    have seen that trailer a few days ago and it immediately made my must-watch-list. Not just cos Emily Blunt is in it. This looks like one of the most promising "indy" flicks of the coming year (I honestyl don't even remember the release date) and when I saw that it#s from the LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE people I was sold. Quirky dark comedies are way too few... especially with 2 female leads...

    ------------------------------------------------------
    My Photography

    Kayyo's picture

    Gah, i knew i had a crush on

    Submitted by
    Kayyo (14 posts)
    on October 13, 2008 - 2:19pm.
    Gah, i knew i had a crush on Emily Blunt after watching the Devils wears Prada cause she was so hillarious! I think this just cemented my total crush on her! I might find a little trouble getting the movie here in malaysia, but in whatever ways, i will make sure i get to watch this movie!! Just for Emily! And maybe a little for Amy as well...
    wickd66's picture

    I'm so excited!

    Submitted by
    Melanie (20 posts)
    on October 13, 2008 - 2:23pm.
    I wanted to see this movie so badly at Sundance, but it didn't fit into my schedule. I'm glad that it has gotten distribution. Any word on a release date?
    dorothy snarker's picture

    Release Date

    Submitted by
    Dorothy Snarker (1504 posts)
    on October 13, 2008 - 2:33pm.
    Sadly, no specific release date yet. The movie's website only says "coming soon." So, um, hopefully soon.


    ---------------------------------------------------
    Why I Don't Sleep Much: Dorothy Surrenders

    Penny_Lane's picture

    This might be brand new but

    Submitted by
    Penny_Lane (90 posts)
    on October 13, 2008 - 10:03pm.
    This might be brand new but the movie's site is now listing March 13, 2009 as the release date in select theaters... still a long way away but at least there's a date! 
    dorothy snarker's picture

    A Date

    Submitted by
    Dorothy Snarker (1504 posts)
    on October 14, 2008 - 1:17am.
    Awesome, I swear it just said "Coming Soon" earlier today. But, damn, March 13 is a long wait.



    ---------------------------------------------------
    Why I Don't Sleep Much: Dorothy Surrenders

    LilyJadeRose's picture

    i'll be there to see this

    Submitted by
    LilyJadeRose (297 posts)
    on October 13, 2008 - 2:40pm.

    i'll be there to see this film when it hits theaters.  i frickin cracked up when the dad said the start date of the business was a "business lie" and some how different than a "life lie".

    ---------------------------------------------

    ~i am bisexual.  you are confused.~ 

    Come With Me (if you want to live) the forum: http://www.afterellen.com/node/31891

    &

    cbaker3333's picture

    Emily Blunt is an amazing actress

    Submitted by
    cbaker3333 (93 posts)
    on October 13, 2008 - 3:45pm.

    I've been a huge fan ever since My Summer Of Love (like most of you).  She is so sexy and talented.  I like Amy Adams too but Emily just does it for me.

    I can't wait to see this movie.

    Emily is so talented in this scene from My Summer Of Love:

    http://www.tellofilms.com/members/action/viewvideo/469/Emily_Blunt___My_summer_of_love___La_foule__Edith/

    Check out and upload great lesbian videos on www.tellofilms.com

    RTBCanada's picture

    love emily blunt

    Submitted by
    Raewyn (12 posts)
    on October 13, 2008 - 5:17pm.
    "He knows that lobsterman is out there, and he's totally screwed!"....AMAZING!
    Nepheline's picture

    Definitely want to check this out

    Submitted by
    Nepheline (12 posts)
    on October 13, 2008 - 7:20pm.

     

    I laughed outloud at this trailer, and the soundtrack sounds pretty good too. I love Emily Blunt as the slacker younger sister. As geeky as this is, I know Amy Adams best from her 2-second bit part on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but she seems up to this role.

    MovieLounge's picture

    I am in!!!

    Submitted by
    MovieLounge (227 posts)
    on October 13, 2008 - 9:33pm.
    I am so in like Flynn on watching this one!!!
    mkt82's picture

    cant wait!

    Submitted by
    mkt82 (2 posts)
    on October 13, 2008 - 9:55pm.
    ive been waiting for this movie to come out ever since sundance!  there were no more screenings of it by the time i got there =(
    bigeyedfro's picture

    Amy Adams!

    Submitted by
    bigeyedfro (20 posts)
    on October 13, 2008 - 10:38pm.

    I think she is so hot. Theres something about her and I love the way she talks. She was great in Enchanted...I'm sorry but I thought that movie was hilarious.

     

    Can't wait for the movie to be released. That last part where she fell on the mattress was pretty funny but also kinda gross lol

    geewhiz's picture

    Amy Adams

    Submitted by
    Kim (24 posts)
    on October 14, 2008 - 2:18am.

    I agree with you about Amy Adams.  She was great in "Junebug" and "Enchanted" (I got a kick out of that too), after which I developed a little crush on her :)

    I missed her in "Mrs. Pettigrew Lives for a Day" but will have to catch that on DVD.

    lvs205's picture

    Ahhhh Sunshine Cleaning:)

    Submitted by
    smith. (662 posts)
    on October 13, 2008 - 10:42pm.

    Besides the fact that I would have Emily Blunt's babies, this movie looks great.  I love the blue extentions, so appropriate for a girl cleaning up blood and guts...however, I am upset about them cutting out the kiss.  In fact, I booo them for that.

    Boooooo!

    Did I mention having Emily Blunt's babies? 

    http://smithsayswhat.blogspot.com/

    I'm nothing but thoughtful playing visionary. Nothing but a nine-digit number in the sky...

    bbkf101's picture

    awesome!!

    Submitted by
    bbkf101 (251 posts)
    on October 14, 2008 - 12:25am.

    OMFGOSH... is the movie finally coming out??!?!?! i've been waiting for this for soooo long it's not even funny. i cannot wait to see iiiiit!!!!!

    I'm obsessed with Emily Blunt! so you guys better back off now.. :) Peace x

    EireGoBrea's picture

    made me laugh

    Submitted by
    MyHeartToBeTrue (31 posts)
    on October 14, 2008 - 7:28am.
    this is the first trailer in along time that made me laugh out loud. It had two of my favorite actresses in it also, I have loved Emily Blunt since My Summer of Love.  It may not be released here in Ireland but we will wait and see.

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