2002 - SUNSHINE STATE, pretty good multi character drama from John Sayles

Another interesting multi character, multi story film from writer/director/editor John Sayles and his producing partner Maggie Renzi.  I don't think this is one of his best films but it's very good.

In a small town in Florida, developers are attempting to purchase and develop the beach front for a resort complex.  Some of the locals are tryiing to stop the developers others welcome the money they will bring into the town.  This very brief summary doesn't really describe how Sayles takes a lot of characters and subplots and weaves them all together.

The film is focused on two characters, Angela Basset as a woman attempting to resolve some issues with her judgemental mother or a mother she sees as judgemental and Edie Falco as a woman who as lived all her life in this town is frankly fed up with her life, both these actors are excellent.  Add to this lots of characters and subplots around a town celebration and a romantic relationship that starts to develop between Falco and Timothy Hutton as one of the land developers.

 

A lot of reviewers have pointed out that Sunshine State bears a strong resembelence to some of Robert Altman's multi character films and I suppose that's true.  But unlike Altman, Sayles actually likes or at the very least is sympathetic with all of his characters.

 

My minor criticisms of the film are that it is somewhat of a challenge to sit through the first rather slow moving 20 minutes of the film and the rather abrupt ending.  However this is still a very good film with an impressive cast of actors.

Running time is 141 minutes.