Viewed in
2010
Formats
HD TV
Premise
Amy Adams and Emily Blunt star as two sisters who start a post-crime cleanup service.
Liked
The characters and crime-scene scenes.
Disliked
The unsuccessful drama.
Thoughts
An indie flick that made me laugh, but failed to make me cry.
While death was a major theme, it was mostly just bloody aftermath, nothing really stomach-churning. I laughed at most of the comedy as the two amateurs fumbled their way through their jobs, as they occasionally get grossed out by what they encounter.
The ensemble was quite solid, including Adams, Blunt, youngster Jason Spevack as the kid, and go-to weirdo dad, Alan Arkin. Mary Lynn Rajskub and Steve Zahn put in some nice dramatic performances. My favorite was Clifton Collins Jr., who stood out with the most multidimensional performance.
I liked how the story was rooted in realistic characters, never stooping to predictable cliches and Hollywood endings. Each person had a different arc, and they did not all end in a predictably neat and tidy place. Much like life.
While the characters were likable, but they were not lovable. When the film tried to get dramatic with family conflicts and haunted pasts, I did not really feel any emotion from these moments. I think part of the problem was that it was kind of a "standard" indie/dysfunctional family genre. Alan Arkin as dad? Check. Super-intelligent kid? Check. A one-armed man for no reason? Check.
Another reason why it failed to draw me in was that the family business actually did not have much consequence on where the characters were going. That was the hook of the film: two sisters cleaning up crime scenes. Yet, in the end, it felt like it could have been any occupation and the story could have unfolded exactly the same. I felt a little duped by that.
Overall, it had its moments of charm and comedy, but lacked in making it memorable or heartfelt.
What I would change
Not sure.
