Junebug

I had high hopes for Junebug because I seemed to read quite a lot of favourable reviews here and there.

The story starts with a female gallery owner (or worker, I forget which) meeting a potential art collector and soon after marrying him. On a trip to check out some work by an artist, the pair realize they are going to be near to his family home. She has never met his family, so they decide to go visit. This is where the fun both begins and ends.

It turns out that this classy, intellectual art lover of a husband actually comes from a family not far removed from trailer trash. They are nice, but they don't fully understand the new daughter-in-law and are a little hostile towards her, fearing she is being judgmental.

That is, all except the other non-blood-family member (wonderfully played by Amy Adams), who is about ready to give birth to a baby. This sweet girl really takes to the newcomer and wants to be her BFF.

This is another of those bittersweet comedies that seem so popular in Hollywood these days. They start out all comedic, and then after the first 45 minutes, it all gets really depressing and it ends up that you feel like slashing your wrists. Or just switching off and going to sleep.

The best bits are those with Adams, closely followed by the subplot about the artist, who was also played brilliantly.

I didn't mind this film, but Hollywood needs to get out of this "you mustn't laugh; life is a sack of shit" funk in which it has found itself.

Scores
Acting: 14
Story: 12
Direction: 12
Enjoyment: 12
Involvement: 13
Total: 63