Tags
2000's, Alessandro Nivola, Amy Adams, Benjamin McKenzie, Celia Weston, Drama, Embeth Davidtz, Junebug, Phil Morrison, Scott Wilson
Film
Junebug
Director
Phil Morrison
Starring
- Embeth Davidtz as Madeleine Johnsten
- Alessandro Nivola as George Johnsten
- Amy Adams as Ashley Johnsten
- Benjamin McKenzie as Johnny Johnsten
- Celia Weston as Peg Johnsten
- Scott Wilson as Eugene Johnsten
A perceptive yet slightly offbeat drama on family values, attitudes and mores concerning an outsider coming into the fold, Junebug is a thoroughly delightful and revealing snapshot with superb acting and characters.
Madeleine is a cultured and willowy art dealer in Chicago who in the beginning of the film falls for handsome George Johnsten. After a whirlwind romance, the two are hitched. The main crux of Junebug concerns the two visiting George’s hometown in North Carolina. She decides to combine potentially getting a strange local artist whose work hasn’t gained exposure as someone for her gallery with meeting her in-laws belatedly as it has been six months since she married him. The welcome she receives is somewhat muted from most of the family. George’s mother Peg is an unsmiling matriarch with everything in order, his father Eugene is an eccentric man largely confined to doing woodwork in the basement and his brother Johnny is a sulky and resentful young man, who hardly talks to anyone and is not especially pleased to see his older brother. Madeleine discovers something of an ally in Johnny’s wife Ashley, who is heavily pregnant and seemingly the only person happy to see her. Ashley is a wide-eyes girl who sees Madeleine as something special and is more than a little naive, although she does realise the difficulties in her own marriage with her almost silent husband and hopes that by having a baby things may turn around. Trying to ingratiate herself into the eccentric family while at the same time getting the artist she wants for her gallery, Madeleine is in for a number of surprises as she discovers how different she is from her in-laws and how she might not really know her husband as well as she thinks.
Phil Morrison is excellent in his direction of this film, which is observed with a sense of naturalism, best embodied by the characters that populate the film’s landscape. They are drawn with realistic strokes that make them very human, with all the idiosyncrasies that make up different people. The winning script offers nuanced humour, simplicity and the little dramas of life invested with humanity and unshowy dialogue, which contributes greatly to the overall subtle yet compelling story. Scenes drift into each other with an ease and grace, there is no need for overly arty embellishments here as Junebug dances to its own tune. The pace of the piece is one of measured awareness that is still engaging, though there will be some who find it too slow. I for one liked the leisurely pace that was used in Junebug as it encapsulated how the film was a slice of life drama. Life can be unpredictable at times and things can come out of nowhere; which is exactly what all the elements on show manage to get across. Some parts lapse into labored dullness, but the rest of the film is so acutely observed in its depiction of the strangeness of family ways and chalk and cheese attitudes, that you can excuse the odd misfiring part. The best parts of Junebug arise from Madeleine’s attempts to level with her in-laws and their ways. There is something very honest about the way Junebug examines how sometimes don’t realise that due to a difference in background they come off as a certain way to others not accustomed to that. Environments and upbringing are brought out in quiet yet compelling degrees as Junebug nicely opens up these angles by having the outsider that is Madeleine infiltrates the small town ranks of the family and not really knowing how to converse with them. The music in Junebug is sparse yet used when necessary, ensuring a somewhat eclectic backdrop to the film that often uses contemplative silence in large chunks.
A finely tuned performance from Embeth Davidtz makes her character someone relatable, even when her actions unintentionally lead to her coming off as snooty. The part of Madeleine is one of sophistication and manners which Davidtz marvellously covers, but her biggest achievement is anchoring the part with an underlying vulnerability and inability to see that she comes off as brittle and haughty to her in-laws. In the most ambiguous part is Alessandro Nivola as the returning golden boy. Nivola plays his part in such a way that we discover things about him as the film progresses, much in the same way as Madeleine does. The mystery yet understated delivery ensures that the character becomes interesting rather than superfluous. Amy Adams is the biggest standout of this movie playing the garrulous and saucer-eyed Ashley. Adams encompasses optimism and sunny personality, and in latter stages when the film calls for it, deep and moving sadness. Ashley as a character could have easily become an annoying caricature, but in the skilled hands of Adams, she blossoms into a character that is a lot smarter than many think and someone whose brimming enthusiasm is hard to resist. A truly lovely and expressive performance from Amy Adams enlivens events in Junebug. There is also Benjamin McKenzie, with his monosyllabic but ever so sympathetic delivery of the jealous and angry brother, who can’t quite stomach the success of his returning sibling and is more than a little distant with everyone around him as a result of this feeling of inadequacy. Celia Weston and Scott Wilson fill out the roles of George’s parents( a waspish mother and a quiet dad) with the right amount of small town values and eccentricities as they are perplexed and unsure of their son’s bride who more than stands out among them.
A warm yet bittersweet story of family, culture clash and misunderstanding, Junebug quietly tells its tale with an eccentric and low-key charm and excellent cast, especially a winning Amy Adams.
beetleypete said:
I watched this some time ago now, and thought it was an accomplished piece. It didn’t really grab me though, despite good acting, and being well made. I suppose I might watch it again, if it was on TV.
Good review mate.
Best wishes, Pete.
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vinnieh said:
It set a contemplative mood and I liked how natural everything unfolded. Not enough movies do that. I can see why some people may find it less than gripping, but I sometimes like a measured pace. And I do love Amy Adams as an actress, what do you think of her?
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beetleypete said:
I haven’t seen all of her work. I would certainly consider her to be accomplished, but she isn’t someone I ever really think about.
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vinnieh said:
I find her to be really versatile as a performer. And the degrees of subtlety she brings to her parts are very nicely achieved.
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raistlin0903 said:
For some reason I always think of Benjamin McKenzie as a young Russel Crowe. He is doing a great job on the Gotham tv series. Haven’t seen this movie yet, but Amy Adams is usually very good. Great review 😀
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vinnieh said:
I can see what you mean about being like a young Russell Crowe. Oh this is a pretty great movie and Amy Adams is sublime.
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fragglerocking said:
Cool review V~man, haven’t seen this, but I do like McKenzie so if it comes up on TV I’ll give it a shot, sounds like a movie to do ironing to 🙂
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vinnieh said:
Well McKenzie does a very good job in this, which will no doubt please you.
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ninvoid99 said:
I have this film in my DVR queue as I hope to see it one of these days.
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vinnieh said:
You won’t regret seeing this movie.
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abbiosbiston said:
I love a good family melodrama. This one was great!
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vinnieh said:
It truly was a good slice of life movie. And Amy Adams was beautifully effective as the optimistic and excited Ashley. Such a gentle soul of a character.
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Another spot on review my friend! I think this was the very first movie Inwatched with Amy Adams and I’ve been a fan ever since!💁🏻
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vinnieh said:
It was the movie that made Hollywood sit up and take notice from what I’ve read. Last night was my first viewing, but it isn’t difficult to decipher why this role got Adams noticed. She was so engaging and moving in the part, topped off with incandescent charm and emotional depth.
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Jay said:
Little Amy!
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vinnieh said:
She was so amazing in this film. I wanted to give her character a hug so many times during the film.
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Jason Luna said:
I might check on this soon. Thank you for sharing Vin. Have a great day. 😉
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vinnieh said:
For a slice of life family drama, this is the ticket.
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alexraphael said:
Amy Adams is wonderful. Don’t remember seeing this.
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vinnieh said:
Amy Adams is one of my favourite actresses, she is amazingly versatile.
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alexraphael said:
I can still remember her as a blonde secretary in Catch Me if you Can. Such a sweet smile in such a small part.
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vinnieh said:
Yes considering it was a small part, she made the most of it.
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alexraphael said:
She was blonde in those days too. I bet even when she’s 80 she’ll look 50 haha.
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vinnieh said:
I was surprised when I read she was in her 40’s. She has a really fresh face.
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filmsCine said:
Borrowed this movie on DVD from a friend a long time ago and still haven’t watched it. I either need to watch it or give it back! Great review.
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vinnieh said:
I say watch it.
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keepsmealive said:
My lovely wife says she saw this one, but I don’t recall it at all, so I don’t know what happened there. 2005, we’d just moved from Saskatchewan back to Ontario. Who knows. I’ll need to see thisone too! Dammit, Vinnie, there’s only so many hours in a day! 🙂
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vinnieh said:
Haha, I know that feeling of having so much to watch! There’s to many amazing movies out there.
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Annelise Lestrange said:
Again, Amy Adams ❤ She's just perfect – can I add her to my women crushes' list? I admit I met her through Enchanted, but omg, she is such a complete and marvelous actress! *–*
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vinnieh said:
She is a beautiful and talented actress. I’m always excited to see what she’ll act in next.
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Annelise Lestrange said:
Me too! She’s just too #goals! Nice, funny, beautiful and a mastermind in acting ❤
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vinnieh said:
I have the utmost respect for her. She is a gorgeous woman and talented actress. Plus she seems like a really nice person.
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Annelise Lestrange said:
I have never read a bad interview with her and I’m kind of a celebrity stalker, haha! Amy sounds genuinely lovely ❤
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vinnieh said:
She comes across as smart and genuinely nice. A refreshing change from some celebrities.
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Annelise Lestrange said:
Exactly!!! More people should be cool like her instead of “divas” of the media…
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vinnieh said:
I don’t see the fun in being a diva.
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Annelise Lestrange said:
I see selfish fun, but if you are a public figure, there’s no excuse to just being mean with your fans, people that love you without even knowing the real you =/
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vinnieh said:
I think it’s best to just be you and not be arrogant or dismissive.
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Annelise Lestrange said:
I couldn’t agree more!!!
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vinnieh said:
You should treat others the way you’d like to be treated.
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Annelise Lestrange said:
Exactly! It terrifies me to think of how some actors and actresses “would like to” be treated, haha!
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vinnieh said:
I couldn’t be doing with diva demands.
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I’ll bookmark your post to check out. Am quite looking forward to it actually.
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