neumu [ cinematronic ]




	Sunshine State
	John Sayles Edie Falco, Angela Bassett, Timothy Hutton, Mary Steenburgen, Jane Alexander, Bill Cobbs, Mary Alice, James McDaniel, Miguel Ferrer, Gordon Clapp, Ralph Waite, Tom Wright, Marc Blucas, Richard Edson, Perry Lang, Alan King 2002		Indie-film iconoclast John Sayles has written and directed some unforgettable films about territories in the throes of change ("Lone Star," "Matewan"). His latest, "Sunshine State," is in the same vein, and it's one of his finest. This well constructed, sharply cast ensemble drama delves into a quiet Florida coastal region targeted by developers. Marly (Edie Falco) and her father own a beachfront motel. They could benefit from selling the property to the real-estate sharks, whose advance man (Timothy Hutton) is currying Marly's professional and personal favor. But the outsiders are also pressuring less well-off residents of an African-American neighborhood to give up their family homes for quick cash. It's a momentous time for Desiree (Angela Bassett) to come home and visit her mother (Mary Alice) after 25 years away. And it's a hell of a time for a Chamber of Commerce rep (Mary Steenburgen) to coordinate the local Buccaneer Days celebration. With Bill Cobbs, Miguel Ferrer, Marc Blucas and Alan King.