Sunlight Jr.

Certainly not an uplifting movie, but ironically, I found it to be refreshingly real and believable, at least as far as the world that I live in. No special effects, no affluent people, and nothing gratuitous ~ just real life. Good, gritty performances by all the characters. I relate to every single problem Melissa has to deal with, which is rare for me and probably made me biased. I think all rich people should watch this movie to understand what real problems are. This is a genuine portrait of what it's like out here for people who are just trying to get by, day to day. The cycle of poverty is hard to break and I believe this movie reflects the lives of many in our country today.

This is Laurie Collyer's second outing as a writer and director (her debut was the excellent 'Sherrybaby' with Maggie Gyllenhaal) and it is sad to see that the film, despite some very impressive acting from a small cast, simply doesn't get off the ground.

Set in a rather smarmy location in Florida, Sunlight Jr. is a love story at odds with the times and with the conditions that surround the characters. Melissa (Naomi Watts) works the day shift at a convenience store called Sunlight Jr., managed by a repulsive toad named Edwin (Antoni Corone) and assisted at shift change by the funky Vivian (Adrienne Lovette). Melissa lives in a motel with her paraplegic, wheelchair-confined boyfriend Richie (Matt Dillon) whose only income is a disability check. The couple is in love and Melissa becomes pregnant. In the joy of the discovery Richie asks Melissa to marry him, but Melissa loses her job and they are evicted from the motel, they face difficult choices about life and their relationship. They attempt to live with Melissa's alcoholic mother (Tess Harper) who runs a foster home in her tiny house, but the stress overcomes both Melissa and Richie, and the added stalking from Melissa's previous boyfriend Justin (Norman Reedus) provides further stress. The manner in which the couple works things out provides the rest of the story.

Watts and Dillon offer memorable performances, even given the weak and clichéd script Collyer has written. It is a depressing film buoyed up by the inner resilience Watts and Dillon instill in their characters. We are left with the feeling that with the addition of more substance to the film, this may have actually worked. It does show how excellent actors can save a mediocre movie.

Grady Harp

I know both Naomi Watts and Matt Dillon look young for their age, but the fact is when this movie was made, in 2013, Matt is close to 50 and Naomi is in her mid-40's! I liked this movie, but I had a real problem with the ages of the actors! Only a couple in their 20's, 30's at the latest, would have these problems!! What were the writers thinking?? I mean, an unplanned pregnancy at her age?? And such financial difficulties?? Homelessness? Living with her Mother? At their age?? Ridiculous! Even with him being disabled. And speaking of that, SURELY he'd be getting a little more money for his disability. I don't know. I love these actors, so I liked the movie for that reason. But their ages really threw me off!!

Laurie Collyer brought the very best out of Maggie Gyllenhaal with her feature film debut of Sherrybaby (2006), a performance that stands as one of the best of that decade. When her follow-up Sunlight Jr, was announced last year, the anticipation naturally grew to its highest peak. Having sensational actors like Naomi Watts and Matt Dillon were promising to say the least. As good as the premise sounds on paper, Collyer loses focus of her characters and delivers an uneven film that doesn't stand next to her quiet sensation from 2006.

Telling the story of Melissa (Naomi Watts), a Quickie-mart employee that is desperate to elevate her quality of life for herself and her boyfriend Richie (Matt Dillon), that collects disability. Living in a motel room, and living off of her small hourly wage and Richie's income, the couple that are visibly in love find more to shoot for when Melissa learns she is pregnant. When her job and living situation are put in jeopardy, with the sudden appearance of her ex Justin (Norman Reedus from AMC's "The Walking Dead"), they will need to face things that their love may not be able to stand.

Any positives that are taken away from the film are anchored and profoundly guided by the performances of Naomi Watts and Matt Dillon. As Melissa, Watts exudes a sexy but deeply moving turn that is both contemporary and reminiscent of legendary leading ladies like Katharine Hepburn. Melissa is our heroine, ambitious and yearning for more. Unfortunately, Watts is bogged down by clichéd dialogue and often unwarranted behavior that fails to elevate the story arc. What shows Watts' talents as an actress, her abilities fight through all the script's obstacles and lands her victoriously on top of the film. Naomi Watts is incredible. What's more impressive than Watts is Matt Dillon who delivers his best performance since Paul Haggis' Crash (2005). Playing the sympathy of a man you are not supposed to love while displaying some gruesome behavior, Dillon gives almost a near terrifying turn that resonates. You expect the worse from Richie, some of those thoughts never come to fruition, but with the skill and power of Matt Dillon, he'll have you squirming in your chair. Matt Dillon may have topped his previous efforts for what he accomplishes in the film. The chemistry between Dillon and Watts are superb and it's almost a marriage made in heaven for two brilliant actors delivering two brilliant performances.

There's no real exploration of contemporary relationships that resonate for the viewer to be affected. As much as I appreciate the attempt by Collyer, unfocused narrative structures fail to emote the reactions I think she was going for. Where she takes the final moments are not earned nor do they feel like a normal progression to that train of thought given the events prior. Perhaps a deeper look into the relationship and the events leading would have offered more of a sensation however, at just over 90 minutes, there's not much room to move.

Sunlight Jr. has the heart in the right place but comes up short in many regards. It leaves you puzzled and doesn't give any real resolution for you to feel satisfied. For Naomi Watts and Matt Dillon alone, their raw and luscious skills as actors will be looked upon with high regard for years to come. Two dynamic, powerful performances!

It's hard to really distinguish the very good indie flicks from the not-so-very-good ones, and that's because not many people see many of them, not many notices, not many reviews out there for others to see and make a judgment as to if they want to watch a certain flick because of reviews (or not). In that case, this film isn't bad, but I may not totally recommend it either. The performances are solid but nothing extraordinary, certainly not acting that would stand as some of the best of the year. Watts has done this certain thing before and better, and she has some iffy moments here. Matt Dillon may actually be stronger and more consistent, but yeah, not much stretch as an actor the role called for. It's not really "bad" though.