Sunshine State

Writer/director John Sayles continues the state-by-state picture of American life that he began in Lone Star (Texas) and followed with Limbo (Alaska). This time we’re in Florida, seen through the eyes of three women approaching middle age: a prodigal daughter returning (Angela Bassett), a weary motel owner (Edie Falco) and a harried civic booster (Mary Steenburgen). As in the earlier films, a major theme is the tension between past and present—only this time Sayles is more leisurely and contemplative, his movie less plot-driven; nothing much happens, but there’s always something going on. Except for a few shady real-estate developers, Sayles presents no real villains; everyone’s better natures struggle to come out, with a sense of human decency that makes the movie a thing of wisdom and beauty.