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Plot Summary
From writer/director Laurie Collyer (Sherrybaby), comes an intimate and intense love story about a young couple at odds with the American dream. Set in the underbelly of usually sunny Florida, Melissa Winters (two-time Academy Award nominee Naomi Watts) works as a cashier at the local convenience store, SUNLIGHT JR. She lives in a seedy motel with her boyfriend Richie (Academy Award nominee Matt Dillon), a former TV repairman who lives month-to-month on his government disability check, spending most of it at a neighborhood tavern. When an unexpected pregnancy takes their lives in a new direction, they are forced to examine the realities of both of their lives, and to face tough choices about what lies on the horizon. Produced by Charlie Corwin (The Squid & The Whale), Ariel Elia (Moeda De Rua) and Andrea Roa (Drinking Buddies), the film also stars Norman Reedus (The Walking Dead) and veteran screen actress Tess Harper.
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Rotten Tomatoes Movie Reviews
TOMATOMETER
67%- Reviews Counted: 33
- Fresh: 22
- Rotten: 11
- Average Rating: 5.9/10
Top Critics' Reviews
Rotten: Despite the intensity of their performances, Ms. Watts and Mr. Dillon are only fleetingly convincing as these desperate young Americans trying to maintain a foothold.
Fresh: Incandescent performances and an unerring grasp of milieu distinguish this latest feature from Sherrybaby helmer Laurie Collyer.
Fresh: This sensitively observed humanistic drama features deeply moving performances by Naomi Watts and Matt Dillon.
Fresh: Collyer has a keen eye for underrepresented populations, but she'd be better served in the future to scale back on the overstatement.
Customer Reviews
SUNLIGHT JR. is definitely worth checking out...
Wow! I was blown away how quietly effective this movie was. I always like it when actors/actresses do these "smaller" films rather than making me watch another city get destroyed via special effects, and this one is great. Both Watts and Dillon are fantastic & Reedus delivers too. Great story/direction. Definitely check it out!
Only If You Are A Watts Fan
I will watch anything with Naomi Watts in it. I feel her to be one of the best, and most versatile, artists of her generation.
So, the bummer with this film is that's about all that drives it. Watts' emoting and incredibly subtle expressiveness is really all that carries the film and distinguishes it in any way, and even that is nearly undermined by what is - in all honestly - one of the worst music scores I've ever suffered through. I'm not a hater. Generally I try to not say anything if I can't say anything nice. But for me, the music was to the detriment of the film. Uninspired, unfocused, out of tune, poorly recorded. Just a real vibe kill.
There are other solid performances, to be sure (Dillon is good), but this story doesn't really surprise or captivate, and I'd only recommend watching if you are a Watts fan, in which case you probably won't regret it. To be honest it's confusing why she agreed to do this film.
Solid film
This defied expectations, and Watts is as usual, excellent. Definitely worth seeing, glad to catch it before theaters.
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