Sunshine State Film Review
No filmmaker today is more of a researcher of people and their relationships than independent filmmaker, John Sayles. "Sunshine State" is set in two adjoining contemporary coastal communities -- one white (Plantation Island) and the other black (Lincoln Beach). The residents of these communities face losing their beachfront property to developers who want to turn the area into a vacation resort, coastal townhouses and chain stores. The film begins with several elite older white men on a golf course discussing business and growth. Its obvious that these old codgers are not concerned with how their business ventures affect the poor, working or middle class people. We note early on in the film that the town is preparing for an annual celebration (Buccaneer Days -- the founding of their city).Sayles is most noted for revealing the good and ugly of his characters. He especially likes to tackle the difficult relationships between ethnic groups. We expect a certain level of racism and we are not disappointed -- after all, this is Florida. But we don't find one-dimensional characters. The old, hard-line traditional southerner (Mr. Tremble) is nostalgic for long ago days when whites an
The parade coordinator is a middle-aged Southern Belle who is attempting to keep City pride alive -- but she has a larger problem looming that she is not aware of -- her husband, a fragile man with a gambling problem attempts suicide through out the film. But the best surprise, is Sayles realism -- everyone doesn't get what they want in the end, but they all come to a better understanding about their history, the relationships and themselves. She and her husband appear to have little in common. The most surprising myth destroyed was the role-reversal in the Trembles household. There is a lot of hurt and disappointment between the Desiree and her aging mother. But it is the whimsical, stage-struck mother who in the end drives such a hard bargain that the developer backs down. Stokes is ill and she has sent for Desiree to come home to help put things in order -- this includes taking over the house -- and the distant teenage cousin. She never fulfilled her dream of becoming an actress but she works with local youth to help them find their voices. Before integration, says the doctor, Blacks had their own town and businesses. Needless to say, he is troubled but is taken in by Mrs. Tremble owns the local restaurant and mote and his daughter, Marly, runs both businesses. While the subplot is the pending destruction of the town for progress, the plot revolves around Tremble's family and a black family (the Stokes) in next door Lincoln Beach. The daughter (Desiree) was sent away as a teen because she became pregnant -- she has only been back once -- for her father's funeral. And in the end, Marly is, unfortunately, still stuck in the town but, she's back in the ocean swimming like the mermaid that she is -- it's a sign she's taking time to do something she loves.
Common topics in this essay:
Southern Belle,
Buccaneer Days,
Zinn Eitzen,
American Family,
Lincoln Beach,
Island Marly,
Stokes Black,
Beach Tremble,
Buccaneer Celebration,
Sayles Sunshine,
lincoln beach,
family baca zinn,
black doctor,
doesn't sell,
plantation island,
american family,
family baca,
zinn eitzen,
sell developers,
one's history,
baca zinn,
baca zinn eitzen,
|
Acceptance Essays
