Sunshine State (August 14/02)

Sunshine State, the new film by writer/director John Sayles, contains a lot of elements that'll be familiar to his fans - a loose plot with over a dozen characters that inhabit a small community. But unlike something along the lines of Limbo, Sunshine State never really becomes anything more than a showcase for some extraordinary acting and the occasional glimpse into an interesting life.

The packed ensemble cast includes Edie Falco, Angela Bassett, Timothy Hutton, and two NYPD Blue actors (James McDaniel and BLAH). The story, such as it is, has something to do