Little Miss Sunshine

 

 

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Every year has at least one quirky movie that really captures your heart and imagination, and as 2006 grinds to a close, it's time for "Little Miss Sunshine."

Yes, it's another dark comedy about a quirky, dysfunctional family. But "Little Miss Sunshine" approaches the family dysfunction from a bizarre, smart, and sometimes slightly nuts perspective. This indie movie deserves all the credit that is being heaped on it -- it's truly glorious.

Richard (Greg Kinnear) is an anxious motivational speaker who talks a lot about "winners" and "losers," which is pretty funny when one considers that his family is full of oddities. His wife Sheryl (Toni Colette) is on edge as Richard inflicts his nine-step program on the family, and her Proust-scholar brother has just arrived, after a failed suicide attempt.

And then there's little Olive (Abigail Breslin) -- she's wants to be in the Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant, and is being coached by her outspoken, heroin-snorting grandfather. When she gets into the pageant, the family piles into a minibus to go to Redondo Beach. Unfortunately, the trip exposes all the problems they have -- death, disappointment, suicide and lost dreams. And a broken clutch.

If you're going to make a dark comedy about a family, then for crying out loud, give it a heart. "Little Miss Sunshine" realizes this, in a little family world where a wordless hug speaks more than dozens of empty lines. These people drive each other crazy, don't ever communicate, but they really do love each other -- yes, even foulmouthed Grandpa.

But lest anyone think it's syrupy, Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris wrap it in a wicked cocoon of clever humor. "Sarcasm is the refuge of losers," Richard says smugly, only to receive a sarcastic "REALLY?" He's not the only one: each character has his or her own odd spots, and a unique way of expressing it. ("High school's your prime suffering years! You don't get better suffering than that!").

And while a road trip sounds dull, Dayton and Faris drop little incidents through it that keep it fresh, even if it's just hiccups from the horn. The climax of the strangeness is the "Fawlty Towers"esque smuggling of a dead body, and a truly surreal song-and-dance sequence. It has to score a 9.5 on the "bizarre endings" scale.

Abigail Breslin is a simply brilliant little actress -- cute, yet not cutesy -- and she tends to fill up the screen with her natural appeal. The other actors wear their parts like comfy old sweaters, such as Colette's weary mother and her business-obsessed hubby, not to mention Alan Arkin's priceless turn as the drug-snorting patriarch.

"Little Miss Sunshine" is a comedy as dark as it is funny, but somehow it never becomes depressing. Instead, it's a little gem of an indie film.

I laugh very easily and find many things funny, but this movie was such a joy to watch because it was just sooooo funny! Everyone's acting was superb and it really was a surprise - you just don't know what's going to happen in the end until you see it. Just when things get super ridiculous - something else outrageously funny happens and you are amused again and again.

I actually don't like too much dysfunctionalness in movies if it ends up being depressing - but in this movie, this family's dysfunctionalness ends up being absolutely hilarious and a joy to watch. There is a good ending - but a dysfunctional anti-good ending which was so clever.

I can't find fault in anyone's acting performance - they were all excellent. I particularly enjoyed Steve Carell's restrained depressed suicidal character. And of course, Abigail Breslin is excellent as the optimistic, quirky and a little bit dorky little girl. Alan Arkin's drug-snorting, porn addicted grandfather character was a real hoot too.

There was an excellent blend of broad comedy, sometimes even monty python-esque, subtle droll comedy, irony, and real emotion and love between the family members.

Little Miss Sunshine is my kind of movie. It is a comedy that is down to earth and delivers more deep almost tragic humor instead of constant laugh out loud funnies. Following a dysfunctional family who is traveling through California to get too a beauty pageant this movie is chalk full with some hilarious characters and even funnier scenes.

My favorite character is the suicidal gay uncle (see what I mean about funny characters) played by Steve Carell who delivers flawlessly. From Anchorman to 40 Year Old Virgin he has made me laugh my head off and Little Miss Sunshine is no exception. Following in a close second is the heroin addicted grandpa (played by Alan Arkan) who is coaching the daughter on how to win the beauty pageant.

The cast is rounded out with a teenager who has taken a vow of silence, a father who is failing miserably in his attempt to get his self help book published, a mother who's caught in the middle of it all, and a little girl who desperately wants to be a beauty queen.

Take this family on a rushed trip through California in order to a reach the little girl's beauty pageant and you are bound to have some funny situations. But there is also some pathos in this movie and that's what I love about it the most. There is a sort of melancholy heart warming as you watch this loser family face tragedy after tragedy and yet still they keep on trying and they come closer together because of their defeats. This feeling is almost better than the humor.

My only problem with the movie was that it was too short, but it's mix of humor, pathos and excellent acting makes it a wonderful movie to watch (and an excellent nominee for Best Picture).

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5.0 out of 5 stars Quirky, Funny, Heartbreaking, Heartwarming
This film is odd, unique, heartbreakingly sad at moments, and often very very funny. It's full of emotion and love and everyone involved does such a good job with presenting their... Read more

Published 5 months ago by Brittany

1.0 out of 5 stars what movie did you people see?
Forget the rant I was going to go on....this movie stunk. Plain and simple. Boring, pointless and not funny. Read more

Published 10 months ago by Bob Anderson

4.0 out of 5 stars An engrossing dark comedy
Directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Farris
Starring Greg Kinnear, Alan Arkin, Steve Carell, Paul Dano, Toni Collette and Abigail Breslin
102 minutes... Read more

Published 16 months ago by Steven Aldersley

5.0 out of 5 stars Liked it very much but still don't know why...
When I started watching the film, it looked like a silly movie to me with story going no-where. As I watched it, I more and more engrossed fully in it. Read more

Published on Jan 10 2009 by imsuraar

4.0 out of 5 stars They are super-freaks
Every year has at least one quirky movie that really captures your heart and imagination, and in the year 2006, that little movie was "Little Miss Sunshine. Read more

Published on Sep 15 2008 by E. A Solinas

4.0 out of 5 stars They are super-freaks
Every year has at least one quirky movie that really captures your heart and imagination, and in the year 2006, that little movie was "Little Miss Sunshine. Read more

Published on Jun 28 2008 by E. A Solinas

4.0 out of 5 stars With six you get dysfunctional
Six people in a mini-bus

Driving from Albuquerque

These folk are so dysfunctional

They're way past being "quirky"

Dad's nine steps are... Read more

Published on Mar 18 2007 by Amanda Richards

4.0 out of 5 stars A great dark comedy with solid performances by all
"Little Miss Sunshine" is a great film that lives up to its audience and critical acclaim. Screen writer Michael Arendt does a great job of telling the story of the Hoover... Read more

Published on Mar 18 2007 by William T. Ferguson

4.0 out of 5 stars Where does one get a copy of "Buns and Ammo"?
As much as we bemoan the conventionality of the Hollywood movie, there is a certain comfort that we take for granted. Read more

Published on Jan 24 2007 by Paul Mackinnon

5.0 out of 5 stars Captivating in a way you wouldn't expect
A truly great movie and worth all the praise it has received. One of my favourite movies of 2006. Beginning as a almost gloomy film, you can't help but get completely enthralled... Read more

Published on Jan 12 2007 by SteveN

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