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Monday, October 31, 2011

Junebug - Amy Adams Oscar Nod Film - Review


Boy, was Junebug a nice film to watch.   A work assignment takes urban, career driven, newlywed couple to meet the new husband's rural family.  Cultural differences in family value clash.


Sounds like the same old formula right?  Urban, selfish, type A personalities the laid back, religious hillbilly family, right?  Not at all.  The film is much more toned down and too wonderfully human for that. Yes, there is something odd about this family but the reason for this  is very deep and never really revealled.  Yes, the Chicago couple (Embeth Davidtz and Alessandro Nivola) moves too fast for this family and has a selfish side, but the pace and mood feels very natural and not contrived.  This movie is not "The Beverly Hillbillies." 


What felt so refreshing about this film is that it is about a middle class family.  This is not one of those films where we are expected to root for a wealthy family with nothing to lose (think 'The Blind Side' ). Nor is this a film that depicts a hopelessly downtrodden family overcoming impossible events.

I never lived in rural America but I get the feeling that this movie depicts rural communities fairly well.  The dialog is toned down (which veteran actor Scott Wilson masters in this film), the pace is slower, the family values are deeper and Christian belief is obvious.

Amy Adams got an Oscar nod for her role in this film.  She is terrific. Her character is eccentric. bubbly, energetic and very wordy.  She is an anomaly this terse, rural world.  I suspect this character is crazy but not in a contrived way. Her nuttiness creates no undue strain on the family, she is simply an eccentric but important piece of the film



Check This Film Out.


Rated R

2005

106 Minutes


Check out These Other Great Movie Reviews By TurtleDog

Bridesmaides - Utterly Hilarious Fun

Powerful But Fun McDonald's Documentary

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