JIM Reviews film "SUNSHINE CLEANING" -- Illuminating the lives of a dysfunctional family =

“SUNSHINE CLEANING” – Illuminating the lives of a dysfunctional family =
Rating: 8 of 10 stars.

Rose (AMY ADAMS) is an unmarried mother of a trouble-causing 8-year-old son (JASON SPEVACK), & she regularly shacks up with a married Albuquerque cop named Mac (STEVE ZAHN). Mac gives her an idea for a money-making new job, & she recruits her flaky do-nothing younger sister Norah (EMILY BLUNT) to help start ‘Sunshine Cleaning’ to do the often-unpleasant work of tidying up after crime scenes. It turns out that’s an ironic job (given the history of her family). Their father (ALAN ARKIN) is a guy always looking for some easy new (often semi-“shady”) way to try to earn money for himself. The movie chronicles the other people they meet along the “way” of trying to move somewhat forward in life (including supply-shop owner CLIFTON COLLINS JR.), & the trials and tribulations encountered in their often-rocky paths. It’s not really a comedy, but it’s a well-acted, fascinatingly “off-kilter” and effective tale.