| Junebug | |
|---|---|
 theatrical film poster | |
| Directed by | Phil Morrison |
| Written by | Angus MacLachlan |
| Produced by | Mindy Goldberg Mike S. Ryan |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Peter Donahue |
| Edited by | Joe Klotz |
| Music by | Yo La Tengo |
| Distributed by | Sony Pictures Classics |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 106 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $1 million[1] |
| Box office | $3.4 million[2] |
Junebug is a 2005 Americancomedy-drama film directed byPhil Morrison.Amy Adams received anAcademy Award nomination for her supporting role in the film.Junebug also is the film debut ofBen McKenzie.
When art dealer Madeleine travels from Chicago toNorth Carolina to pursue a local, self-taught painter for heroutsider art gallery, she is accompanied by her new husband, George, whose family lives in the area and she takes the opportunity to get acquainted with them. There is his mother Peg; his reserved, contemplative father Eugene; and his sullen, resentful, twenty-something brother Johnny, who, although married, still lives at home. He is studying for hisGeneral Educational Development certificate while working atReplacements, Ltd. as an order processor. Johnny is married to Ashley, who is pregnant. Relations between Johnny and Ashley are strained, but Ashley believes that a baby will solve their marital problems.
Madeleine and George stay in the expected baby's nursery, and Madeleine becomes friends with Ashley, who is very sweet and friendly, if somewhat naive and talkative. The family takes Madeleine to a church social, where George is asked to sing a hymn. Madeleine is not used to intense religious displays but makes no comment. She attends Ashley'sbaby shower and gives her sister-in-law an antique silver spoon, which stands out from the other gifts. Madeleine discovers that she does not know much about George, as they have been married only six months and had met just a week before their wedding.
Ashley goes into labor, and the family goes to the hospital with her. However, the artist Madeleine is pursuing is hesitant about signing with her gallery, so Madeleine leaves to meet with the artist and is able to convince him to sign with her gallery, which briefly makes George angry. Madeleine calls George to rave about the artist (she is impressed with his work, but shocked by hisanti-Semitism) without asking about the baby. George interrupts her and informs her that Ashley's baby boy isstillborn, which causes Madeleine to double over with guilt. The artist and his sister drive Madeleine back to her in-laws' home, and she later sits with Eugene on the back porch and cries. Meanwhile, George supports Ashley at the hospital, who expresses that George is always there when Ashley needs him. George kisses Ashley on the forehead and leaves. George comes home and has a wordless encounter in the garage with his brother, Johnny, who throws a tool at him, injuring his forehead. George does nothing in response.
The next day, George and Madeleine prepare to leave. Johnny calls Ashley and suggests that they "try again," to which Ashley excitedly squeals. As George and Madeleine drive onto the highway and pick up speed, George remarks, "I'm so glad we're out of there" as Madeleine caresses George's neck with her left hand.
The film was shot onSuper 16mm film stock.[3][4]
The film premiered at the 2005Sundance Film Festival, where Adams won a Special Jury Prize for her performance.[5] Onreview aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes,Junebug has an approval rating of 86% based on 135 reviews, and an average rating of 7.50/10.[6] The website's critical consensus states, "Aided and abetted by a wonderful cast, director Phil Morrison transforms familiar material into an understated and resonant comedy".[6]Metacritic assigned the film a weighted average score of 80 out of 100, based on 34 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[7]
Roger Ebert gave the film four stars and praised it as "a movie that understands, profoundly and with love and sadness, the world of small towns; it captures ways of talking and living I remember from my childhood, with the complexity and precision of great fiction".[8] Tim Robey ofThe Daily Telegraph labeled the film a "rare treat" and a "small, quiet miracle".[9] There was particular praise for Amy Adams, who went on to earn herfirst ofsixAcademy Award nominations.[10]
The film's score is made up of original music byYo La Tengo,[11] as well asclassical music byHaydn,Shostakovich,Schubert andVivaldi.[12] The film begins and ends with the 1977 song "Harmour Love" performed bySyreeta Wright and written byStevie Wonder.[13] During a scene where most of the characters are at a church social, George and two young men are featured singing the hymn "Softly and Tenderly, Jesus Is Calling" byWill Lamartine Thompson.[14]
In 2008, Yo La Tengo released some of the original music in a compilation of their soundtrack work titledThey Shoot, We Score.[11]
The DVD was released on January 17, 2006, bySony Pictures Entertainment. The release includesdeleted scenes,audio commentary with Embeth Davidtz and Amy Adams,behind-the-scenes featurettes, andcasting sessions.[15]
