Ain't no 'Sunshine'

As I said in reviewing “District 9,” it takes more than a strong concept to make a good movie. It also takes more than a great cast, although that helps, too.

But even with these key ingredients, a movie can fall flat in the execution.

That’s what happened with “Sunshine Cleaning,” now available on DVD.

Amy Adams (“Enchanted”) stars as Rose Lorkowski, a single mother who decides to try her hand at a crime-scene cleanup business she starts with her sister, Emily Blunt (“The Devil Wears Prada”). Alan Arkin (“Little Miss Sunshine”) and Steve Zahn (“Strange Wilderness”) co-star.

Adams is a talented actress who can play just about anything, but she specializes in women who are cheerful and strong even though they may be wounded by circumstances. This seemed to be a tailor-made role for her, with her sunny disposition clashing with the darkness of her character’s new vocation.

But it never really panned out.

Adams is as good as expected, and Blunt also is strong as her irresponsible, aimless sister. But the movie is incredibly formulaic — take out the crime-scene cleaning angle and substitute any other slightly unusual job and the story wouldn’t change a bit.

There are plenty of stories about people finding success (or trying to) in unexpected careers (Gwyneth Paltrow did it as a flight attendant in “View from the Top”). While focusing on the characters is, of course, important, doing more with the backdrop of crime-scene cleanup is what would have set this movie apart.

The characters even have an emotional connection to the subject that is at first hidden and never really explored.

“Sunshine Cleaning” isn’t a bad movie, but it doesn’t break any new ground or particularly grab your attention. The intriguing nature of its concept and cast make its forgettableness all the more disappointing.