(4 stars out of five)--For the first hour of this film, we are watching one of the best films of the year. Clear, memorable characterizations, great dialogue, sure-footed direction... we feel like we are in the hands of great storytellers. Then, about 3/4 of the way through, the film loses its momentum, and stops almost completely in its tracks. It feels like a totally different movie. It's a big misstep, but what came before it is so good, it can almost be forgiven. The actors are uniformly great, but Amy Adams particularly stands out in her wide-eyed, energetic performance which practically steals the show. In fact, the biggest reason why the last fourth of the film suffers is because she's offscreen. It may not be apparent at first, but a big reason for Junebug's success is Adams.
Overall, a promising first feature for director Phil Morrison. Winner of a Special Jury Prize for Acting (Amy Adams) at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival.
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