Florida on Film: John Sayles Talks "Sunshine State" (Sunday Extra)
The celebrated indie director's movie deconstructed the state, illuminating and dissecting key issues that still resonate more than 20 years later.
an occasional series
SUNSHINE STATE (2002)
141 minutes; PG-13
Critic’s Grade: B+
Where to watch: Rent or buy via Prime Video, Apple TV or Vudu; also on Blu-ray and DVD.
John Sayles, an author when he isn’t directing or writing movies, churned out 18 films over 33 years, ending with 2013’s “Go for Sisters.” His recently published historical novel, “Jamie MacGillivray: The Renegade’s Journey,” has received glowing reviews in The New York Times and elsewhere.
Not surprisingly, the longtime Hoboken, N.J. resident favors a filmmaking style that has been called novelistic.
In “Sunshine State” (2002), as in his most commercially successful movie, “Lone Star,” the period dramas “Eight Men Out” and “Matewan,” beloved sci-fi oddity “The Brother From Another Planet” and other feature films in a much-admired career dating back to his start as a screenwriter in the late ‘70s, he assembles a diverse mix of characters.
Each possesses a specific point of view related to the movie’s central themes, and he gradually sets his frequently flawed figures in action. Does their movement result in narrative friction? Sometimes.
Sayles’ films are pleasantly unhurried, workmanlike and with no frills aside from the free-flowing dialogue: They are often spiked with transparent sermonizing, long speeches meant to illuminate a particular political stance or a bit of social history.
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Culture Pop: Sound & Screen to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.