This acclaimed debut feature from Phil Morrison is an exploration of the cultural conflicts between city slickers and country folk, with a subtle examination of the dynamic of family relationships and responsibilities. It’s a well-trodden theme, and one that risks descent into routine clichés, but Angus MacLachlan’s script deftly avoids such pitfalls and delivers us a well-paced tale with an incredible range of emotions.

The dichotomy is established in the opening scenes of the film where we move from men hollering in the backwoods of North Carolina to a bustling Chicago gallery. Here we are introduced to Madeleine (Embeth Davidtz), the sleek and delicately beautiful gallery owner working the room. Through the crowd, in typical love-at-first-sight fashion, her eyes fall upon George (Alessandro Nivola), and both are subsequently smitten. It is a scene which just about avoids Sweet Home Alabama, cheesiness and the director doesn’t insult our intelligence with a long winded examination of the evolution of this relationship, instead the film moves swiftly on to its main themes. The pace of the film is also set in this moment as, following all the hustle and bustle, we are left with a shot of the gallery, devoid of people, allowing a moment's contemplation. This is repeated with great effect throughout the film, and some of Peter Donohue’s photography of North Carolina is outstanding in its ability to drive the mood of the film and give the audience room to absorb the previous scene's events.

The story moves south to George’s dysfunctional family, and we are introduced to the other players in this drama. All are excellent, but the notable performance comes from George’s garrulous sister-in-law Ashley (Amy Adams). Adams delivers an outstanding range of emotions, and turns what could potentially have been a very irritating character into an endearing one. Ben McKenzie also excels in his role as her troubled husband Johnny, a complex and misunderstood character that we can't help but sympathise with. Johnny’s social awkwardness is complemented by David Wark (Frank Hoyt Taylor), the autistic artist that Madeleine intends on wooing to her gallery. Through both of these characters we see an exploration of the prejudices inherent within this rural community. In Madeleine's eyes Wark also provides the reason for her and George to be in that part of the country in the first place.

The film deals with numerous layers of conflict within the world of the house. An issue of class division is evident from the moment Madeleine steps into the house, and it continues as she speaks of being the daughter of a diplomat and being born in Japan (much to Ashley’s wide-eyed stupefaction and exclamation of 'You were not!'). The conflict between this small rural community and the world of the city pervades every scene, and is evident through Madeleine’s expressions and each character's bemusement and frigid reaction to her kiss-on-both-cheeks greeting. George’s parents, especially his mother have deep rooted suspicions of her suitability as a wife, claiming she’s too beautiful, and when Madeleine explains that she can’t sow, his mother retorts with 'Did George know that before you married him?'

This film is a journey of discovery for all of its characters, and Madeleine and George seem to learn more about each other in the week down south than they did from their relationship to date – all six months of it. The only character that rises above all prejudices and hostilities is Ashley, with her never-ending optimism and ability to see good in everyone – even in the face of a disaster that would break even the strongest of people.

Junebug is a gem of a film, and it demonstrates that, with a clever script and acute direction, one can still deliver a fresh and interesting examination of a conventional theme. One of its stand-out elements is the way the pace is handled through a combination of emotionally charged scenes cut with sedate explorations of the house and its surroundings. This device provides Junebug with a steady rhythm, and illustrates how subtlety and use of temporal space can enhance the weight of a scene immensely. Combine all this with a confident cast delivering strong performances and you’ve got a film you can’t help but enjoy.

Rated 15A (see IFCO website for details)
Junebug is released nationwide on 7th April 2006.
Junebug – Official website