02/21/06 Junebug

Junebug (2005), directed by Phil Morrison

watched solo; DVD rental (Record Exchange) @ home

Can I just say that it is refreshing to see a film & landscape that incorporates my "home state" of North Carolina. This independent feature comes from a great new director hailing from the NC School of The Arts, and is filmed in Winston-Salem (The big Hyphen for those of you in the know). The story revolves around a rural family that is welcoming back its eldest adult son and his new wife who have been living the successful high-life in big city Chicago. While not particularly wanting to be back home, the son must contest with life as it has progressed in his absence. His younger brother (soon to be a father) who hates him, a sister-in-law obsessed with Christianity and the outside world, a father who holds all his emotions internally, and a mother who is weary of any woman being good enough for her son. It paints the simple life of this family in complex vignettes of quiet pain, and unexpected love. It also taps into the underground art of a local painter who suffers from mental illness, and how his story correlates with that of the family. While a very quirky character driven piece, Junebug deftly shows the importance of faith and family, no matter what the backdrop may be.

4 out of 5 stars