Junebug is a 2005 American comedy-drama film directed by Phil Morrison. It was released on August 3, 2005 and stars Embeth Davidtz, Amy Adams, Benjamin McKenzie, and Scott Wilson. It was filmed in the North Carolina towns of Pfafftown, McLeansville, and Winston-Salem. Amy Adams received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role.
Junebug | |
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theatrical film poster | |
Directed by | Phil Morrison |
Produced by | Mindy Goldberg Daniel Rappaport |
Written by | Angus MacLachlan |
Starring | Embeth Davidtz Amy Adams Benjamin McKenzie Celia Weston Alessandro Nivola Scott Wilson |
Music by | Yo La Tengo |
Cinematography | Peter Donahue |
Edited by | Joe Klotz |
Distributed by | Sony Pictures Classics |
Release date |
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Running time | 106 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $1 million |
Box office | $3.4 million |
Screenplay
When art dealer Madeleine (Embeth Davidtz) travels from Chicago to North Carolina to pursue a local, self-taught painter (Frank Hoyt Taylor) for her outsider art gallery, she takes the opportunity to meet and stay with the family of her new husband George (Alessandro Nivola), who live close by.
There is his mother Peg (Celia Weston); his reserved, contemplative father Eugene (Scott Wilson); and his sullen, resentful, twenty-ish brother Johnny (Benjamin McKenzie) who, although married, lives at home. He is studying for his high school equivalency certificate while working at Replacements, Ltd. as an order processor. Johnny married his now pregnant wife Ashley (Amy Adams) before either of them finished high school. Relations between Johnny and Ashley are strained, with Ashley believing that a baby will solve their marital problems.
Madeleine and George stay in the expected baby's nursery, and Madeleine becomes friends with Ashley, who is very sweet and friendly, if somewhat naive and talkative. The family takes Madeleine to a church service, where George is asked to sing a hymn. Madeleine is not used to intense religious displays but makes no comment. She attends Ashley's baby shower and gives her sister-in-law an antique silver spoon, which stands out from the other gifts. Madeleine discovers that she does not know much about George, as they have been married only six months and knew each other only a week before they got married.
The artist Madeleine is pursuing wavers over signing with her gallery. Ashley goes into labor, and the family goes to the hospital with her. Madeleine chooses to go and convince the artist to sign with her gallery, which briefly makes George angry. Madeleine calls George to rave about the artist without asking about the baby. George interrupts her and informs her that Ashley's baby boy is stillborn, which causes Madeleine to double over with guilt. The artist and his sister drive Madeleine back to her in-laws' home, and she later sits with Eugene on the back porch and cries. George comes home and has a wordless encounter in the garage with his brother, Johnny, who throws a tool at him, injuring his forehead. George does nothing, understanding that his brother is expressing his feelings of being trapped where he is.
Johnny suggests to Ashley that they "try again," returning Ashley to her chipper self. George and Madeleine go back to Chicago. As they drive onto the highway and pick up speed, George remarks, "I'm so glad we're out of there" as they clasp hands.
- Embeth Davidtz as Madeleine Johnsten
- Amy Adams as Ashley Johnsten
- Benjamin McKenzie as Johnny Johnsten
- Celia Weston as Peg Johnsten
- Alessandro Nivola as George Johnsten
- Scott Wilson as Eugene Johnsten
- Frank Hoyt Taylor as David Wark, the artist
- Joanne Pankow as Sissy Wark, David's sister
- Alicia Van Couvering as Bernadette, Madeleine's gallery assistant
- Jill Wagner as Millicent, friend at baby shower
Though much of the movie is free of background music, its score is made up of original music by Yo La Tengo, as well as classical music by Haydn, Shostakovich, Schubert and Vivaldi. The film begins and ends with the 1977 song "Harmour Love" performed by Syreeta Wright and written by Stevie Wonder. During a scene where most of the characters are at a church social, George and two young men are featured singing the hymn "Softly and Tenderly, Jesus Is Calling" by Will Lamartine Thompson.
No official soundtrack has been released of the film. As a result, Syreeta's album One to One (which contains the song "Harmour Love") has since experienced a resurgence of sales. Yo La Tengo have released some of the original music in a compilation of their work on soundtracks They Shoot, We Score.
The DVD was released on January 17, 2006 by Sony Pictures Entertainment which includes:
Year | Award ceremony | Category | Nominee | Result |
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2006 | Academy Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Amy Adams | Nominated |
Amanda Awards | Best Film | Nominated | ||
Central Ohio Film Critics Association Awards | Breakthrough Film Artist | Amy Adams | Won | |
Best Supporting Actress | Nominated | |||
Critics' Choice Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Won | ||
Gotham Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Won | ||
Best Breakthrough Director | Phil Morrison | Nominated | ||
Independent Spirit Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Amy Adams | Won | |
Best First Screenplay | Angus MacLachlan | Nominated | ||
Piaget Producer Award | Mike S. Ryan | Nominated | ||
National Society of Film Critics | Best Supporting Actress | Amy Adams | Won | |
Online Film Critics Society | Best Supporting Actress | Nominated | ||
San Francisco Film Critics Circle | Best Supporting Actress | Won | ||
Satellite Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Nominated | ||
Screen Actors Guild Award | Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role | Nominated | ||
Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Won | ||
Sundance Film Festival | Special Jury Prize for Acting | Won | ||
Directing Award | Phil Morrison | Nominated |
- 40th National Society of Film Critics Awards:
- Best Supporting Actress (Amy Adams, won)
- Online Film Critics Society Awards 2005:
- Best Supporting Actress (Amy Adams, nominated)
- 4th San Francisco Film Critics Circle Awards:
- Best Supporting Actress (Amy Adams, won)
- 10th Satellite Awards:
- Best Supporting Actress — Drama (Amy Adams, nominated)
- 12th Screen Actors Guild Awards:
- Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role (Amy Adams, nominated)
- 14th Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards:
- Best Supporting Actress (Amy Adams, won)
- 2005 Sundance Film Festival:
- Special Jury Prize for Acting (Amy Adams, won)
- Directing Award — Dramatic (Phil Morrison, nominated)