Junebug
Sony Pictures Classics | Release Date: August 3, 2005 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
80
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 34 Critic Reviews
Positive:
29
Mixed:
5
Negative:
0
Watch Now
Stream On
Buy on
Stream On
Stream On
Stream On
Stream On
Expand

Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
100
Entertainment WeeklyOwen Gleiberman
Amy Adams in a performance as deep as it is delightful, is the film's heart and also its flaky, wonderstruck soul. Read full review
100
L.A. WeeklyScott Foundas
Ensemble casts like this are not easy to come by. Adams is something more than that -- a brilliant young comedian bursting into bloom. Read full review
100
Christian Science MonitorDavid Sterritt
This low-key drama is a miracle of mood, atmosphere, and sensitivity. Read full review
100
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
Junebug is a great film because it is a true film. It humbles other films that claim to be about family secrets and eccentricities. It understands that families are complicated and their problems are not solved during a short visit, just in time for the film to end. Families and their problems go on and on, and they aren't solved, they're dealt with. Read full review
100
The New RepublicStanley Kauffmann
The screenwriter Angus MacLachlan and the director Phil Morrison and an astonishingly perfect cast have quietly made a daring picture. Read full review
100
Baltimore SunMichael Sragow
One happy surprise after another, even when the content is bittersweet or sad. Read full review
90
Los Angeles TimesCarina Chocano
A deceptively simple, deeply resonant story about the inherent loneliness of family, the odds against assimilation and the enormous distances that can divide two people. Read full review
90
SlateDavid Edelstein
It's hugely entertaining, it's spectacularly acted, and it pricks you in all kinds of places. Maybe the best thing is to see it and let it bug you, too. Read full review
90
Washington PostAnn Hornaday
Manages to be one of the genuinely fresh discoveries of the summer, a little gem that deserves to become a big sleeper hit. Read full review
89
Austin ChronicleKimberley Jones
The sum is something deeply profound: about awkwardness, culture clash, failed connections, and – ultimately – the strength that comes from surviving a trial by fire. Read full review
88
New York Daily NewsElizabeth Weitzman
Happily, Morrison's actors grasp his intentions perfectly, shading their roles so well that we never quite get a handle on anyone. Each player is outstanding, but the highest praise must go to Weston. Read full review
88
PremierePeter Debruge
That rare kind of movie that contrasts "cultured" big-city characters with devout, "simple" folk without being condescending or judgmental of either camp. Read full review
88
USA TodayClaudia Puig
Junebug has the feel of a good short story or novella. Read full review
88
Philadelphia InquirerCarrie Rickey
Brilliantly detailed, richly painted portrait. Read full review
88
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Liam Lacey
A movie that gets wonderfully under your skin. Read full review
83
Seattle Post-IntelligencerPaula Nechak
The performances by Davidtz, Weston, Wilson and especially Adams stand out as Morrison paints his character study with raw, true bits continually tested by the absurdities of pain life dishes up. Read full review
83
Portland OregonianShawn Levy
Wonderful performances and the director's continual inventiveness make Junebug a particularly promising first feature. Read full review
80
Village VoiceLaura Sinagra
It's an exhilaratingly decentered tale, with the perspective shifting around so there's no character with whom we totally identify throughout. Read full review
80
The New York TimesStephen Holden
Junebug envelops us in texture of a world the movies rarely visit. Read full review
80
Chicago ReaderJ.R. Jones
Written by Angus MacLachlan, this indie drama explores the lingering tension between north and south with vinegar and precision. Read full review
80
Washington PostMichael O'Sullivan
With its wise understanding of the magnetic pull (and invisible polarities) of family, Junebug is an auspicious debut for Morrison. Read full review
80
The Hollywood ReporterDuane Byrge
Not merely a sitcom of cultural clash. Screenwriter Angus Maclachlan has delicately etched a compelling portrait of a way of life whose decencies and simplicities are often dismissed as being "unsophisticated." Read full review
80
EmpireDavid Parkinson
The scenario may be overly familiar, but the low-key approach and engaging performances make this an unexpected delight. Read full review
75
San Francisco ChronicleG. Allen Johnson
If there's any justice at all at next year's Academy Awards, we have our first can't-miss nominee for best supporting actress: Amy Adams. Read full review
75
ReelViewsJames Berardinelli
There is sadness and humor here, but all understated. Read full review
70
Dallas ObserverBill Gallo
Combining the tragic and the comic, this drama is amateurish in places, but it's a triumph of atmosphere (the makers are both North Carolinians) and the acting is first-rate. Read full review
63
New York PostV.A. Musetto
Sensitive and sincere and has a talented ensemble cast. Read full review
63
Chicago TribuneMichael Wilmington
Sometimes one performance makes a film worthwhile, and Junebug has one: an astonishing, moving portrayal of down-home innocence and optimism by Amy Adams. Read full review
63
Miami HeraldConnie Ogle
Too slight to bear up under the weight of the final melodrama, and the film ends too abruptly, as if MacLachlan just ran out of things to write. Still, this visit to the old homestead is worthwhile, if only to meet its unflappable, charismatic women. Read full review
60
VarietyJoe Leydon
Has a washed-out look that may be off-putting to auds who might otherwise enjoy the pic's uncondescending view of Southern characters and customs. Read full review
60
The A.V. ClubKeith Phipps
The drama loses shape before it really develops, but the sense of place--all wood paneling and animal knick-knacks--and the memorable performances keep it worth watching. Read full review
60
TV Guide MagazineMaitland McDonagh
Morrison brings an amazingly sure hand to MacLachlan's prickly screenplay. Read full review
50
Film ThreatBob Westal
An admirable film, but its charms will be visible only to the most patient filmgoers. Read full review
50
Boston GlobeTy Burr
A textbook case of filmmakers who can't make up their minds about their characters; it's a failure of nerve disguised as dramatic ambiguity. Read full review
More From This Movie

80 Critic Reviews

7.9 User Reviews

Details & Credits|Trailers

Current Movie Releases
By MetascoreBy User Score
1 81 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
2 77 Project Hail Mary
3 75 Send Help
4 73 Hoppers
5 72 The Sheep Detectives
SEE ALL
Essential Links
New on Amazon Prime Video
New on Netflix
Coming Soon to DVD/Blu-ray
SEE ALL