Little Miss Sunshine

I love this film.

Little Miss Sunshine is the Oscar-nominated comedy starring Abigail Breslin, Greg Kinnear, Steve Carell, and Alan Arkin. It’s the American family road-trip movie for the current generation. There was a lot of hype last year about this little-movie-that-could, directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, and none of it was undeserved. Now on DVD, this film never ceases to entertain and delight. The eccentric Hoover family from Alberqueque rallies around their awkward young daughter, Olive, who has been invited to compete in the “Little Miss Sunshine” pageant in California. Mom, Dad, daughter and son, along with Grandpa and Uncle pile into their old yellow VW bus, which has seen better days, and go off to help Olive chase her dream of being a beauty queen. The cast is an impeccable ensemble of Hollywood’s relative newcomers and veterans, and legend-in-the-making Steve Carell, steals several scenes as Uncle Frank, the suicidal, homosexual Proust scholar. Young Abigail Breslin really shines, though, and even earned an Oscar nod for her unforgettable performance. Little Miss Sunshine seems mildly humorous, with spots of black humor and somber heart-warming moments, for the first three quarters of the film. Then suddenly, without warning, it is uproariously funny, and stays that way until it fades to black. When the film was first released to theaters, the audience would invariably be falling out of their seats, crying and laughing, as little Miss Breslin performed her “talent” in the pageant. It truly is charming and warm and you do really fall in love with the characters, but the film offers so much more than just family dysfunction. It’s also a sharp satire of child beauty pageants. The last scene, at the pageant, is the funniest scene in any film released last year. The only thing that drags this little gem of a film down is the writing, and even that is easily overlooked. But something about the way writer Michael Arndt set up each character for a rise and fall came off as a little cheesy. It seemed just a little too much, especially when Dwayne, played by Paul Dano, found out he was color-blind. In the end, though, fifteen minutes into the film later, all is forgotten, dissolved into hysterical laughter. Little Miss Sunshine walks the delicate line of dark humor and family comedy with such precision and passion. It’s impossible to watch this film and not love it. The DVD includes four alternate endings and director commentary, and the film is just as good on the second, third and fourth viewings, as it was on the first.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Like this movie

The Hoover family are on their way to California for Olive, where she's participating in a beauty pageant called Little Miss Sunshine. The acting was pretty good. The scenery was good too and especially the music. The ending was cute. Definitely recommend you see this, even if the movie's a little overrated, it's a really good movie.

Not to be Missed

Little Miss Sunshine will undoubtedly delight and surprise most movie fans. While the family portrayed in the film is often described as "quirky" and "dysfunctional," this reviewer dares to disagree. They are as normal as the day is long. A struggling middle-class father, a role expertly taken on by Greg Kinnear, wishes only to succeed in his work as a self-help guru and motivational orator. The drive that so urgently propels him is -- dare I say it? -- normal. Grandpa is a bit of a pervert, and the uncle is recovering from a botched suicide attempt. Again, this sounds like more folks than can be counted on both hands. Mom expertly juggles all the demands of a wife and mother, including referee between dad and uncle. Both children have aspirations of their own. The point to be made is that Little Miss Sunshine takes the ordinary and mundane and elevates them to a place of grand joy and utter delight. One item worth mentioning is that the family's lame Volkswagen bus brilliantly personifies its occupants: it struggles to get moving, but never fails to reach its intended target. Whether it can truly be defined as quirky is debatable. But it is enchanting. And for that reason this reviewer urges folks to not miss this delectable gem.

Overhyped

It was just ok. The acting was great, but would you give a 5 star rating to a product where an actor was considered the best Ronald Mcdonald character ever seen? No. The story was rather bland and had only two, maybe three laughs. Might as well watch reality tv, it's about as interesting as those shows. Pretty depressing feel to the film on top of it.

Really good movie

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this movie. It's very funny but there is no way Alan Arkin should have gotten the Best Supporting Actor Oscar over Eddie Murphy in Dreamgirls. When you see the movie, you will know why. Excellent acting.

Anyone Who Is Not Touched By This Movie...

Is just inhuman. This was truly the best movie I have ever seen. It makes you think of your own family and how, when life becomes more than you think you can bear, you look around and see a group of people whose mere presence makes it bearable. It touches your heart, your mind and your soul in such a way that you leave with a sense of gratitude for everyone you know - whether it is the family you are born into or the family you choose. It defends the meaning of love and puts the 'fun' in dysfunction. Shame on anyone who doesn't have a positive thing to say about it. It's also funny that while I'm writing this, 'Love Will Keep Us Together' just came on the radio...

A loser

One word: Trash. Not funny. No story line. Vulgar (this is called writing?) Not worth further discussion.

So long, Sunshine...

When this film was just an indie, a small film no one knew about, i saw it in the theater. Since the Oscars and all, everyone went ballistic to see it, and i can see why they were dissapointed. This was not a big budget film, in any way. There are no car chases and exploding buildings. Just a small storyline, with a little girl in a messed up world, trying to win a beauty pageant. Take it for what it was, people! Sorry this wasn't your everyday run of the mill crime show film "The Departed." This film was original and fresh. But it's hype sent it into a piece of media trash.

What a mess

This was a complete mess and waste of time!!!!

"CAN'T WAIT FOR IT TO COME IN THE MAIL"!!!

I recently saw this movie, while coming back from germany on the plane, and was delited to see we have great movie on our hands. It's funny,seriouse,heartwarming,betrayal, and all around what families have/may be going through. This is a movie to share with your family, and friends, (By the way I saw it twice , on the plane), You will be delited to see this, and have your heart racing with powerfull messages, for your family and friends. This should win an Oscar! Love life, and treasure your children. D..C Carubini

LOOOOVED IT!!!

This moviee iss greaatttt!! i loved it!! tottaly recomend it to anyone!!! hilarious!!

I fell in LOVE with this movie!!!!

The movie is so original, hilarious, heartwarming, and quirky! Instead of spending all its energy on funny gags, such as in other family road trip movies, this one focuses on the characters and the irony of their situations. Everything about this movie is wonderful,from the acting to the photography. The ending is unforgetably funny. It's a movie I will watch over and over again and never get tired of.

Indie co-opted by the Man!

This movie is an overly slick version of what a real indie movie might be. All the sharp edges have been burned off and you're left with a vaguely bad aftertaste and not a lot of substance.

Hilarious and Heartfelt.

This is truly an astounding movie. It focuses around an amazingly disfunctional family forced to take a road trip together to support the youngest who aspires to be a beauty queen. This is one of only a handful of films that manages to be truly funny and very emotionally uplifting at the same time.

AWESOME!!!

This is my new favorite movie!

OUTSTANDING MOVIE

This movie is awesome! really loved this movie....I have watched over and over again!

Good movie

This movie is full of very dysfunctional characters but the interaction between them is great and the acting is top notch. Funny movie. Recommended.

Oh My Goodness

This movie was soo funny it should totally win the oscar for best movie

When people tell me that I should watch a movie 'cause it's good, I will try and put all expecations aside.

The acting was very good. Steve Carell, love him (but not in the sense how he loves guys in the movie). Some parts were just downright annoying, maybe too much arguing in some scenes. Sure those parts are realistic, but I find arguing in real-life also annoying. Scenes were kinda predictable. I wasn't sure how I felt about the ending either. I didn't know if I was supposed to laugh or be disgusted. I basically laughed out loud thrice throughout the movie. I counted. Sure there were some other funny scenes that caused a "hmmph" coming out of my larynx every once in awhile. I'm glad I payed $6 for this movie used. Definitely worth the 6 beans. Full price, not so much. Being that I am only one of two people that didn't give it 5 stars, perhaps I'll give it another try.

Quirky IS Commonplace

What makes this movies so wonderful is it celebrates the quirkyness of life. And in case you live in a bubble, people in general ARE quirky when you get down to the honesty of life. Who among us doesn't have strange stories to tell of family road trips? This is a story about people who are who they are for better or worse. We laugh because it rings true. We cry because it touches a part of us that taps into our life's experiences. Anyway, this movie is like no other because it tells a story of THIS family and no other. But in the end we can all relate because life is one big quirky mess.