Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysAPA Heritage MonthSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
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)

Sunshine Cleaning

  • 20082008
  • RR
  • 1h 31m
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
72K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Amy Adams and Emily Blunt in Sunshine Cleaning (2008)
This is the theatrical trailer for Sunshine Cleaning, directed by Christine Jeffs.
Play trailer2:33
13 Videos
99+ Photos
  • Comedy
  • Drama

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.

IMDb RATING
6.8/10
72K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Christine Jeffs
  • Writer
    • Megan Holley
  • Stars
    • Amy Adams
    • Emily Blunt
    • Alan Arkin
Top credits
  • Director
    • Christine Jeffs
  • Writer
    • Megan Holley
  • Stars
    • Amy Adams
    • Emily Blunt
    • Alan Arkin
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 150User reviews
    • 176Critic reviews
    • 61Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins & 6 nominations

    Videos13

    Sunshine Cleaning
    Trailer 2:33
    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
    Sunshine Cleaning
    Clip 0:47
    Sunshine Cleaning
    Sunshine Cleaning
    Clip 0:46
    Sunshine Cleaning
    Sunshine Cleaning
    Clip 0:43
    Sunshine Cleaning
    Sunshine Cleaning
    Clip 0:43
    Sunshine Cleaning
    Sunshine Cleaning
    Clip 0:43
    Sunshine Cleaning
    Sunshine Cleaning
    Clip 0:46
    Sunshine Cleaning

    Photos320

    Alan Arkin, Amy Adams, Emily Blunt, and Jason Spevack in Sunshine Cleaning (2008)
    Amy Adams and Emily Blunt in Sunshine Cleaning (2008)
    Amy Adams and Emily Blunt in Sunshine Cleaning (2008)
    Mary Lynn Rajskub and Emily Blunt in Sunshine Cleaning (2008)
    Amy Adams, Emily Blunt, and Jason Spevack in Sunshine Cleaning (2008)
    Clifton Collins Jr., Amy Adams, and Jason Spevack in Sunshine Cleaning (2008)
    Amy Adams and Jason Spevack in Sunshine Cleaning (2008)
    Amy Adams and Jason Spevack in Sunshine Cleaning (2008)
    Amy Adams and Christine Jeffs in Sunshine Cleaning (2008)
    Emily Blunt in Sunshine Cleaning (2008)
    Amy Adams and Jason Spevack in Sunshine Cleaning (2008)
    Alan Arkin and Amy Adams in Sunshine Cleaning (2008)

    Top cast

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

    More like this

    Your Sister's Sister
    6.7
    Your Sister's Sister
    Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
    6.8
    Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
    Wild Target
    6.7
    Wild Target
    Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
    7.0
    Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
    Junebug
    6.9
    Junebug
    The Five-Year Engagement
    6.2
    The Five-Year Engagement
    Dan in Real Life
    6.8
    Dan in Real Life
    Sugar
    Sugar
    Rain
    6.8
    Rain
    The Kids Are All Right
    7.0
    The Kids Are All Right
    Irresistible
    5.7
    Irresistible
    Julie & Julia
    7.0
    Julie & Julia

    Storyline

    Edit
    A family. Rose and Norah, in Albuquerque, lost their mother when they were young. Rose is responsible - a housecleaner, raising her seven-year-old son Oscar. She's also having an affair with Mac, a married cop, her high-school sweetheart. Norah can't hold a job. Their dad, Joe, is quirky. When Oscar is expelled for odd behavior, Rose wants to earn enough to send him to private school. Mac suggests she clean up after crime scenes, suicides, and deaths that go undiscovered for awhile. Rose enlists Norah, and Sunshine Cleaners is born. Norah bonds with the dead, Rose finds out that it's a regulated business, and complications arise. Can a family marked by tragedy sort things out? —<jhailey@hotmail.com>
    • school
    • suicide
    • crime scene cleanup
    • memory
    • motel
    • 212 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • life's a messy business.
    • Genres
      • Comedy
      • Drama
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated R for language, disturbing images, some sexuality and drug use
    • Parents guide

    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 The Rotten Tomatoes Show: Miss March/Race to Witch Mountain/Sunshine Cleaning (2009)
    • Soundtracks
      Cure for This
      Performed by Golden Smog

      Written by Marc Perlman

      Courtesy of Lost Highway Records

      under license from Universal Music Enterprises

    User reviews150

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    A Light Family Drama Touches Down
    13 April 2009. Take Amy Adams ("Enchanted" 2007), Emily Blunt ("The Devil Wears Prada" 2006), Alan Arkin ("Little Miss Sunshine" 2006), and even Mary Lynn Rajskub ("24" television series 2003-2009) and the comedian actor Steve Zahn in a serious role and you have a rather interesting family drama that was billed more as a comedy. "Sunshine Cleaners" doesn't have the sparkle and delightful humor as "Little Miss Sunshine," instead this film captures more of a brief moment in time where by two sisters learn more about themselves and their relationship with each other. There aren't so much as explanations as experiences from which to learn from and nothing really turns out the way one might expect in this more realistic this-is-life perspective. The pacing of this movie is somewhat ragged and slow, particularly the first half of the movie. This movie provides no great insight, has a mild but solid twist at the end, and provides the audience with two decent human interest stories that reveal human development and human improvement over time. It's a positive if not stunning message about being human. Seven out of Ten Stars.
    helpful•4
    1
    • tabuno
    • Jan 20, 2019

    FAQ3

    • 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
    • Also known as
      • Công Ty Lau Chùi
    • Filming locations
      • Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
    • Production companies
      • Overture Films
      • Big Beach Films
      • 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

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 31 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
      • SDDS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

    Related news

    Elizabeth Banks To Star In Christine Jeffs’ Medical Drama ‘A Mistake’; Cornerstone Selling – Cannes
    Elizabeth Banks To Star In Christine Jeffs’ Medical Drama ‘A Mistake’; Cornerstone Selling – Cannes
    May 5Deadline Film + TV
    Elizabeth Banks to Star in Medical Drama ‘A Mistake’ From Director Christine Jeffs
    Elizabeth Banks to Star in Medical Drama ‘A Mistake’ From Director Christine Jeffs
    May 5The Wrap

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Amy Adams and Emily Blunt in Sunshine Cleaning (2008)
    Top Gap
    What is the Hindi language plot outline for Sunshine Cleaning (2008)?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    The 10 Most Anticipated Marvel and DC Movies
    See the full list
    Image caption not available
    2:14
    The Most Anticipated Movies and Shows to Watch in May
    Watch the video

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.