Thursday, April 17, 2008

Amy Adams in Junebug (2005)

Those video clips are certainly not new for most of you - but I thought I'd just post a few clips from "Junebug", where Amy Adams plays a pregnant good soul who becomes enchanted with her sophisticated new sister-in-law.

Amy says she had no idea how significant this supporting role in a domestic drama set in North Carolina would be to her career. "I knew that it was important that I did it. I try to look at my projects as more than just what they're going to do for my career because ultimately you never know whether it's going to be successful or whether it's going to be the last thing you ever work on."

"It takes a lot of love for the film -which we all have -so it's not really a job," Adams remarks. It was shot in 21 days on location in Winston-Salem, the small North Carolina city where it is set, and premiered at the 2005 Sundance Festival, where Amy won a special jury prize.

As the fourth of seven children, Amy understood the dynamics that make Junebug tick. "I knew her," she recalls, about first reading the script. "I felt as if I automatically went, okay, I know. I come from a big family where there's a lot of competition, so for me that never needed to be explained. What you're going to get out of this film all depends on your experience in life. And I really do think most people get something from it."

Junebug is that rare work these days to make a plot point of religion in neither a proselytising nor a satiric way. "If anything, that's the fabric that holds these people together, so at the end, where Ashley has the moment of questioning her worth with God, that's huge to her." And Ashley's guilelessness doesn't mean she is stupid. "It's easy to make that assumption: that if you approach things with a sense of naivete, you are dim. I've heard Ashley called 'the dimwitted chatterbox'. But I don't feel the need to defend her. I think the film shows that being good is not always the easy choice."

Amy Adams knows full well that Ashley cannot be the sum total of her career. "That's what's weird. Sometimes, I think, that's one performance, just one role, but she meant a lot to me." As she doubtless will to those who seek out this sweet, small film.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love this movie..Amy was fantastic in it

Tiffany said...

she was amazing in this movie!

Anonymous said...

This continues to be my favorite performance. Truly amazing!

Anonymous said...

Amy's performance was amazing in this, she deserved that nomination.

She's absolutely hilarious!
'You. Were. Not.'

Ahahahha thank you for the videos! :)

Anonymous said...

this is one of my favorite favorite movies. astounding performances by everyone, especially amy.

Anonymous said...

this film made me feel a whole range of emotions throughout the journey.
amy's performance really touched my heart and she was really the heart and soul that drove this movie home.
i recommend those who haven't seen it yet to go watch it immediately.

Valerie said...

love this movie!!

Anonymous said...

I was expecting a boring movie when I started watching it, but turned to be one of my favorite movies ever! It's so pure, deep and genuine...so real....everyone can find a little of themselves there.....and Ashley is, without a doubt, my favorite character of all movies. She is just so...true....not the typical jerk good saint girl. She is funny and has a sense of humor, a joy of spirit.....and Amy made it so perfectly that we can see Ashley's sadness in her eyes even if she is trying to hide it. It so cute that she only wants to be loved and I really think the part that she questions why would God let something so horrible happens.....is just so wise.

Anonymous said...

I love this movie.

There's so much depth in characters, and Amy Adams did her job the most spectacular. Her portrayal as Ashley was just a laughter and at the same time, heart-wrenching. The greatest performance of 2005.