Junebug (DVD, 2006)

A sophisticated globetrotting gallery owner (Embeth Davis) trying to sign on an eccentric but brilliant painter takes a trip to South Carolina to visit with him personally. Taking along her new husband George (Alessandro Nivola), the couple combine business with pleasure and take the opportunity to visit with his family (mom and pops, his younger brother, and the bright bubbling sister-in-law who is just about to give birth). Thus the stage is set for Junebug, a touching family drama shining with observations of small town family and life. The ensuing interchanges between the newcomer Madeleine, her new husband's family, and the community are quiet yet moving, with realistic portrayals of human strengths and weaknesses and relationship dynamics.

The cast in this southern ensemble is absolutely outstanding, with Amy Adams giving a heartfelt and amazingly affecting performance as the sister-in-law Ashley, who welcomes the newcomer with open arms. Celia Weston portrays Peg, the protective mother who can't quite warm up to the newest family member (it doesn't help that Madeline calls her "Pat" several times before Ashley gently corrects her). Scott Wilson as the father Eugene is a quiet, reserved, but kindly character who roots for his new daughter-in-law in his own quiet way. Benjamin McKenzie (The O.C.) delivers a fabulous turn as the younger brother who resents that his older brother made it out of the stifling environs of their small community. He breaks out of sullen boorish behavior unexpectedly at one point when attempting to capture on tape something that would make his wife happy, but is unable to do so and reverts back to his rude self when his wife asks what's troubling him.

The ensuing plot is slightly predictable, but still charming and heartfelt. The portrayal of Southern Christian life is somewhat cliched and stereotypical, but allows it to define the difference with Madeleine's sophisticated upbringing. The new wife is given an opportunity to see her husband within the context of his childhood community, which often surprises her (during one gathering, the husband is called upon to sing a hymn a capella, which he does with incredible tenderness and grace). During a baby shower for the pregnant Ashley, the women are stumped by the gift of an antique sterling silver baby spoon from Madeleine and George (Peg huffs that it looks like it needs to be tossed into the dishwasher). During their stay Madeleine spends time trying to cajole her eccentric painter into signing up with her gallery, which coincides with a family crisis. George sees her "abandonment" of the family as a mirror image of what he himself has done by leaving the community for new territory. By the end of the visit, it's a changed couple who get back into their car to head back into Chicago. This is a top notch effort by Phil Norrison and is a charming, bittersweet gem that must be visited.

PROS - Stellar cast with top-notch performances; bittersweet, moving story with comedic touches.

CONS - Cliched stereotyping.

This is a good movie, one highly respected and touted, but I was expecting more than was delivered by the writing and technical work. The basic story lacks focus in terms of "which character's story arc" is the main meat of the movie, the introduction of "the new girl" being introduced to the husband's family being fragmented and stolen by Amy Adams playing what should have been a minor character, while Embeth Davidtz's main character flounders as she tries to fit into the family and never really connects with ROLE of the bride who cannot connect with her new in-laws. McKenzie's problematic younger sibling was not fully fleshed out, and we never got a handle on either the extent of the problem or a "why" it existed, and sometimes seemed in conflict with itself.

Quite a bit of the time the shots were static with only minor movements, the lighting very flat, and the depth of field was such that the characters were not "popped" out from the background, nor did they use a rim light to make them stand out as separate from the set.

In spite of the flaws they did manage to carry off it off, and produced an interesting movie that is definitely better than the normal mainstream product. It's good, but unfortunately, not great-- but oh so close to greatness.

.