Junebug

2005 Drama

Phil Morrison, who collaborated with screenwriter Angus MacLachlan for his acclaimed 1990 short, Tater Tomater, joins forces with MacLachlan again for his feature-film debut, Junebug. Junebug takes place in rural North Carolina. Madeleine (Embeth Davidtz), a sophisticated Chicagoan who owns a gallery devoted to "outsider art," goes south in an effort to woo an eccentric painter (Frank Hoyt Taylor) to her gallery. She brings along her husband, George (Alessandro Nivola), a native of the area, and the couple stays with his family. Peg (Celia Weston), George's mother, gives Madeleine a rather chilly greeting, and seems to think she's a poor match for her eldest son, while his father, Eugene (Scott Wilson), is a bit more welcoming, in his quiet way. George's younger brother, Johnny (Ben McKenzie), is still living at home with his very pregnant wife, Ashley (Amy Adams), and seems to feel nothing but resentment for George. For her part, Ashley is a gregarious young woman, and she's immediately smitten with her "new sister." Junebug was selected by the Museum of Modern Art and the Film Society of Lincoln Center for inclusion in the 2005 edition of New Directors/New Films. more..

Director: Phil Morrison

Starring: Embeth Davidtz, Amy Adams, Alessandro Nivola, Ben McKenzie, Celia Weston

Reviews

  • Junebug is a great film because it is a true film. It humbles other films that claim to be about family secrets and eccentricities. It understands that families are complicated and their problems are not solved during a short visit, just in time for the film to end. Families and their problems go on and on, and they aren't solved, they're dealt with.

    Roger Ebert - The Chicago Sun-Times

    26 April 2013

  • Amy Adams in a performance as deep as it is delightful, is the film's heart and also its flaky, wonderstruck soul.

    Owen Gleiberman - Entertainment Weekly

    26 April 2013

  • This low-key drama is a miracle of mood, atmosphere, and sensitivity.

    David Sterritt - Christian Science Monitor

    26 April 2013

  • Junebug has the feel of a good short story or novella.

    Claudia Puig - USA Today

    26 April 2013

  • Not merely a sitcom of cultural clash. Screenwriter Angus Maclachlan has delicately etched a compelling portrait of a way of life whose decencies and simplicities are often dismissed as being "unsophisticated."

    - The Hollywood Reporter

    26 April 2013

Awards

  • Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role

    Academy Awards (2006)

     
  • Best Supporting Actress

    Austin Film Critics Association (2006)

  • Best Supporting Actress

    Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards (2006)

  • Best Independent Feature Film Casting

    Casting Society of America (2006)

  • Breakthrough Film Artist

    Central Ohio Film Critics Association (2006)