'Junebug': Warm, witty and bright
by Eleanor Ringel Gillespie

"Junebug," Phil Morrison's funny and perceptive feature debut, is a culture-clash comedy of manner(s) with some serious themes as well. Brimming with bright dialogue, complex characters and moments of sheer aching sweetness, it's Chekhov with a side of red-eye gravy. Madeleine (Embeth Davidtz), a Chicago art dealer, and George (Alessandro Nivola), her Southern husband, first meet at something called the Auction for Visionary Art to Re-elect Jesse Jackson — a droll little throwaway that indicates writer Angus MacLachlan knows what he's about. Read the full review

TO SUM UP
A Chicago art dealer threatens the equilibrium of her middle-class in-laws in North Carolina. Her presence exposes the fragile family dynamics as hidden resentments and anxieties surface.

FILM FACTS ...
Sony Pictures Classics
'Junebug'

Director: Phil Morrison
Starring: Amy Adams, Embeth Davidtz, Benjamin McKenzie, Alessandro Nivola, Frank Hoyt Taylor
Run time: 102 minutes
Release date: August 5, 2005
Rating: R for sexual content and language.
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On the web
Official movie site
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READ THE REVIEW

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: B+
"Ashley is one of the freshest, most engaging characters we've seen in the movies in months."

Austin American-Statesman: 4 of 5 stars
"...a hilariously spot-on evocation of what Southern hospitality must feel like to the newcomer."

Dayton Daily News: B
"It won't dazzle you with scenery, filmmaking technique or potent acting. It could get you to thinking about how there are always little things right in front of you that you haven't noticed yet."

The Palm Beach Post: B+
"Junebug, like the beetle, is a pokey little film. But when it spreads its wings, it soars with unexpected grace."


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