Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsEmmysToronto Int'l Film FestivalHispanic Heritage MonthIMDb Stars to WatchSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayMost popular celebsCelebrity news
    Help centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • FAQ
IMDbPro

Sunshine Cleaning

  • 2008
  • R
  • 1h 31m
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
76K
YOUR RATING
Amy Adams and Emily Blunt in Sunshine Cleaning (2008)
This is the theatrical trailer for Sunshine Cleaning, directed by Christine Jeffs.
Play trailer2:33
21 Videos
99+ Photos
Dark ComedyComedyDrama

In order to raise the tuition to send her young son to private school, a mom starts an unusual business -- a biohazard removal/crime scene clean-up service -- with her unreliable sister.In order to raise the tuition to send her young son to private school, a mom starts an unusual business -- a biohazard removal/crime scene clean-up service -- with her unreliable sister.In order to raise the tuition to send her young son to private school, a mom starts an unusual business -- a biohazard removal/crime scene clean-up service -- with her unreliable sister.

  • Director
    • Christine Jeffs
  • Writer
    • Megan Holley
  • Stars
    • Amy Adams
    • Emily Blunt
    • Alan Arkin
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.8/10
    76K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Christine Jeffs
    • Writer
      • Megan Holley
    • Stars
      • Amy Adams
      • Emily Blunt
      • Alan Arkin
    • 161User reviews
    • 177Critic reviews
    • 61Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins & 6 nominations total

    Videos21

    Sunshine Cleaning
    Trailer 2:33
    Sunshine Cleaning
    Sunshine Cleaning
    Clip 0:46
    Sunshine Cleaning
    Sunshine Cleaning
    Clip 0:46
    Sunshine Cleaning
    Sunshine Cleaning
    Clip 0:38
    Sunshine Cleaning
    Sunshine Cleaning
    Clip 0:45
    Sunshine Cleaning
    Sunshine Cleaning
    Clip 0:41
    Sunshine Cleaning
    Sunshine Cleaning
    Clip 0:41
    Sunshine Cleaning

    Photos329

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 322
    View Poster

    Top cast51

    Edit
    Amy Adams
    Amy Adams
    • Rose
    Emily Blunt
    Emily Blunt
    • Norah
    Alan Arkin
    Alan Arkin
    • Joe
    Jason Spevack
    Jason Spevack
    • Oscar
    Steve Zahn
    Steve Zahn
    • Mac
    Mary Lynn Rajskub
    Mary Lynn Rajskub
    • Lynn
    Clifton Collins Jr.
    Clifton Collins Jr.
    • Winston
    Eric Christian Olsen
    Eric Christian Olsen
    • Randy
    Paul Dooley
    Paul Dooley
    • Sherm
    Kevin Chapman
    Kevin Chapman
    • Carl
    Judith Jones
    • Paula Datzman-Mead
    Amy Redford
    Amy Redford
    • Heather
    Christopher Dempsey
    Christopher Dempsey
    • Gun Shop Suicide
    Vic Browder
    Vic Browder
    • Gun Shop Owner
    Ivan Brutsche
    • Above and Beyond Worker
    Arron Shiver
    Arron Shiver
    • Detective
    Ralph Jason Aukison
    • Gun Shop Employee #1
    Cliff Garstka Sr.
    • Gun Shop Employee #2
    • (as Clifford R. Garstka Sr.)
    • Director
      • Christine Jeffs
    • Writer
      • Megan Holley
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews161

    6.875.6K
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    7kosmasp

    Underdog

    I watched this movie in a sneak Preview, so I had no idea, what I had to expect from this. The title is not giving away too much, which I will respect, so if you want to read something about the story, read the summary here on this site.

    The acting in this is really great, but some might have a problem with the pace of the movie. It moves along slowly and it's not "in your face" funny, but more a subtle kind of humor (most of the times). It's actually more a drama than a comedy. And Alan Arkin is exceptional as ever, even if he's not the main role here. With a few up and downs, this nice little film has a winning charm, that is worth a view.
    8ceeingred13

    Well crafted family story

    I find that when people ask me what this movie is about I have a hard time successfully telling them. Read the synopsis by all means, but like most summaries it barely scratches the surface. It's a story about a mother who leaves her family in the most permanent way imaginable. It's about a father struggling to maintain his unflappable optimism, a sister whose self-esteem leads her into self-sabotaging habits, another who is in complete emotional freefall, a son who is becoming aware of his family's dynamic and how it compares to the rest of the world's and how they manage to regain their footing by pursuing a very unusual profession. At its heart it is always about family. At their best Amy Adams and Emily Blunt are some of the most talented actresses working today and I was happy to see them both in a script worthy of their skills. Both are gifted at line delivery, but some of their most powerful scenes are nonverbal. The dynamic between all the characters is thoroughly real and enjoyable. I found myself very satisfied by all their resolutions. It was an excellent story to watch unfold.
    7Willemite

    Working Class Respect

    I quite liked the film. I would watch Amy Adams stare at grass and Emily Blunt is always top notch. One thing that stuck out for me about the film was that it offers a look at real working-class people doing real work, and does so in a respectful manner. Rose tries to put a positive spin on her post-mortem cleanup work to gathered yuppies in an awkward social setting and is clearly defensive. But you can see her coming to value the work for the good it does. There is nothing wrong with adventure thrillers about high crimes and misdemeanors, about the far-too-well-to-do, and about easy lives, but it is heartening to see hard-scrabble work valued, not just as a barrier to be overcome but as a thing that has intrinsic value and that does real good. Rose and Nora take on work that the yuppie ladies would never dream of tackling, and do real good for real people. This is a film that does not dazzle us with fireworks or glitter, but it has heart. We like that.
    7eshwarmail

    Doesn't break any ground but profoundly entertaining

    Reviewed August 2010

    Though you know how the story is going to turn out, it was made captivating by fantastic performances by ever too reliable Amy Adams and fast shining Emily Blunt.

    I have seen references to Little Miss Sunshine by some of the critics, what's the relation? Checked the writer and director's past movies doesn't include it. I wonder at this this because I thought it felt like Little Miss Sunshine at some level before reading the references. It's a story of a positive minded slightly dysfunctional family who are going through some tough times for bad choices made in the past. The screenplay and conclusion are conventional and made to the writer's comfort. Emily Blunt has a terrific voice diction, hope to see her in some good animated character.

    The character Oscar is charming and Grampa is the same as in Little Miss Sunshine. Though this movie does not break any ground, I couldn't find anything that I did not like in it.
    8ferguson-6

    A slice of pecan pie

    Greetings again from the darkness. Ahhh, the first 2009 script (by Megan Holley) that has the depth, nuances and multiple sub-plots that keep me addicted to movies. Sure one can view this as a simple story of the emotionally struggling sisters who start a bio-hazard clean-up company to connect not just with each other, but also with those who have been the victim of a profound event involving a loved one. It works just fine on that level.

    Of course, I never make things that easy. For this viewer, I was absorbed in the connection the sisters had to their dead mother. The quest for a glimpse of her one movie of the week performance as a waitress had the sisters trained to stop in their tracks whenever a "waitress" scene appeared on TV. The sisters are played exceedingly well by the extraordinarily talented Amy Adams and Emily Blunt. Their performances lift a really good script to greatness.

    For most movies, that would be plenty. Not here. Director Christine Jeffs ("Sylvia") gets to play with Alan Arkin as the always scheming father, a quick commentary on the disgusting "solution" of public schools tendency to require medication on less than robotic kids, emotionally empty relationships, and the absolute need of people to connect with others.

    The fine acting continues with Steve Zahn as the former high school hero turned local cop, whom Adams' character has maintained a long term "bond". Trouble is Zahn's character picked someone else to marry. Clifton Collins Jr adds a wonderful dimension as Adams' possibly new prospect. Mary Lynn Rajskub is just plain fascinating as the lonely lady Blunt thinks she is helping.

    Being promoted as from the creators of "Little Miss Sunshine", this one offers up a nice story complimented by many quirks that make it stand apart from the masses. Hopefully it will find wider distribution as we can never have enough top notch story telling.

    More like this

    Your Sister's Sister
    6.7
    Your Sister's Sister
    Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
    7.0
    Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
    Julie & Julia
    7.0
    Julie & Julia
    Dan in Real Life
    6.8
    Dan in Real Life
    Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
    6.8
    Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
    Junebug
    6.9
    Junebug
    Wild Target
    6.7
    Wild Target
    Whip It
    6.9
    Whip It
    Yves Saint Laurent: Opium
    6.5
    Yves Saint Laurent: Opium
    The Jane Austen Book Club
    6.7
    The Jane Austen Book Club
    Curiosity
    5.2
    Curiosity
    Moonlight Serenade
    4.7
    Moonlight Serenade

    Related interests

    Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Sian Clifford in Fleabag (2016)
    Dark Comedy
    Will Ferrell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Comedy
    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The filmmakers have said in interviews their story is based on a 2001 National Public Radio "All Things Considered" report about two women in the Seattle suburbs who started a biohazard removal/cleaning service. They are best friends, not sisters.
    • Goofs
      When Norah chases after the kitten, there is a small table and a cat statue on the porch. Later, when the house is burning at night, the table and statue are gone. A subsequent scene of the porch in flames has the table and cat statue back again.
    • Quotes

      Lynn: How'd she die?

      Norah: It was sorta a do-it-yourself thing?

    • Alternate versions
      Amy Adams brief topless scene has been censored in the US home video releases. Those frames are zoomed in slightly to omit the nudity where as the framing is left intact on releases outside of the US.
    • Connections
      Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Race to Witch Mountain/Sunshine Cleaning/The Last House on the Left/Brothers at War (2009)
    • Soundtracks
      Cure for This
      Performed by Golden Smog

      Written by Marc Perlman

      Courtesy of Lost Highway Records

      under license from Universal Music Enterprises

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    FAQ22

    • How long is Sunshine Cleaning?Powered by Alexa
    • Is "Sunshine Cleaning" based on a book?
    • What does the title mean?
    • Does the actor playing Winston really only have one arm?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 17, 2009 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Spanish
      • Korean
    • Also known as
      • Công Ty Lau Chùi
    • Filming locations
      • Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
    • Production companies
      • Overture Films
      • Big Beach
      • Back Lot Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $8,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $12,062,558
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $219,190
      • Mar 15, 2009
    • Gross worldwide
      • $16,580,250
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 31m(91 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
      • SDDS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb App
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.