Even though the film is about small town living the story opens contrastingly in a Chicagoan art gallery where Madeleine (Embeth Davidtz) holds a benefit auction to support Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. During the benefit she lays her eyes on George (Alessandro Nivola) with whom she falls in love with and they quickly get married.  They continue their life without meeting the in-laws, but when Madeleine learns about the rural North Carolinian painter David Wark (Frank Hoyt Taylor) they decide visit George’s parents who live nearby the painter.  In North Carolina Madeleine meets an eccentric painter that seems to have just stepped out of a time capsule from the 1800s.  His paintings also reflect strongly about the small town living, as he paints the freeing of the slaves while all slaves have white faces.  They have white faces, as David only paints faces he knows suggesting that he does not know any black people.

The meeting with the in-laws for the first time, as all married couples can attest to, is a nerve-racking event.  At the same time, the in-laws and other relatives might find the moment equally uneasy, as they might fear the worst.  In Junebug, the parents are also deep-rooted individuals of the small town in which they live, which means they approach the meeting with reserved doubts.  However, Madeleine who grew up traveling the world welcomes the meeting with open arms, maybe a little too open for the taste of George’s parents, Peg (Celia Weston) and Eugene (Scott Wilson).  George on the other hand seems to be the one who struggles most with the situation, as he wants to keep the peace by respecting the rules of the house while being aware of the ways of the town and he never complains.

Phil Morrison seizes the very spirit of the small town family through Angus MacLachlan’s meticulously detailed script, which never wavers in either the spoken language or the topics discussed.  For example, in the arrival scene to the parents George stays outside with Eugene looking at their Volvo’s engine while laboriously trying to find something to talk about.  The scene is very short, but it does not let the audience off the hook.  Instead the scene vibrantly shows Eugene’s grueling attempt to display emotions and liking for his son in a subtle and caring manner through the few words “It’s good you come down here”, which George recognizes.  It shows that they are not bad people; it is just very difficult for them to show emotions.  Meanwhile, Madeleine throws her arms around and kisses everyone on the cheeks in a very French manner, as a gesture to show her affections to them.  It is something completely foreign and new to the family, which throws them off more than feeling welcome.  Madeleine’s demeanor slowly begins to build a wall between her and her in-laws. 

Madeleine also meets the welcoming and pregnant Ashley (Amy Adams) when they arrive who is married to George’s younger brother Johnny (Benjamin McKenzie).  They live in the same house with Peg and Eugene.  Ashley acts in many regards like a 15-year old, as she curiously wants to know about the world and about Madeleine.  However, it is understandable, as she probably never lived by herself in her life, as she most likely moved from her parents’ house to live with Johnny’s parents.  In the process, Ashley’s persona is quickly tossed in and the audience is faced with traits such as hyperactivity, dieting (the notion of dieting while being pregnant only makes one wonder about her sanity), childlike inquisitiveness, and constant need for attention.  These traits brings out an over the top character, but the situation requires such a character.  Amy Adams performs brilliantly, which has honored her with several awards for her dazzling performance including an Oscar nomination.

George’s brother Johnny is also an interesting character that displays an interesting persona.  Poor self-esteem is among the first things that ooze out of his character, as he lacks self-control and anger management.  Whenever things do not go as planned, it is always someone else’s fault.  In addition, Madeleine’s overt behavior to express her positive emotions through hugs and kisses on the cheeks are completely misinterpreted by Johnny who thinks she is coming on to him.  Instead of communicating, he assumes and ends up in an awkward situation, which only furthers his poor self-esteem.  The scene also helps provide notions that the small town living prevents people from understanding people coming from the outside into the town such as Madeleine.

Morrison offers a cinematic experience that allows for close up examinations of the structure of a social environment in a small town.  Each character plays a significant part that highlights the different aspects of the social structure whether it is being an outsider or a different cohort within the setting.  The success with Junebug shines through in many parts, but most and foremost the script that is brought to life through a marvelous cast.  Morrison also shows vision and artistic quality that permits the audience to fully experience a small town through a family’s existence.  It is clear that he has a strong understanding for the psychosocial workings of a small town, as he lets the audience experience a truly remarkable film about the mundane life in rural America.

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