Little Miss Sunshine Review

"Little Miss Sunshine" reviews

Movie

Little Miss Sunshine

Author

anonymous

Date reviewed

2009-11-16 22:30:26

Rating

4/5

Provider

CinemaSource

Review

Even with "Oscar season" yet to come, it's safe to say that Little Miss Sunshine is one of the year's very best. This inspirational, hilariously sad dysfunctional-family-road-trip dramedy offers absolutely everything--except pretension.

Story

The Hoover household is something of an insane asylum, but nobody would ever knowingly hurt anyone except him- or herself. Richard (Greg Kinnear) is a deluded optimist and motivational speaker who only motivates himself. His wife Sheryl (Toni Collette) unwittingly reinforces his behavior by placating him and hiding her frustration. Sheryl's dad (Alan Arkin), an acid-tongued old-timer who's hooked on heroin, and brother (Steve Carell), a gay, suicidal Proust scholar who is the epitome of the "crazy uncle" cliché, are also aboard the crazy train. Richard and Sheryl's son, Dwayne (Paul Dano), is a Nietzsche follower who only communicates with his family by writing. Then there's the daughter, Olive (Abigail Breslin), the family's glue. All she wants is to compete in the Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant, so the Hoovers all load their baggage onto the family's VW bus--which barely runs--and embark on a long, bumpy ride to California.

Acting

If only there were a Best Ensemble Oscar, Sunshine's cast would…get snubbed for being too quirky, but still. And by constantly upstaging one another, the actors may have further hurt their chances. It is this no ego effect, however, that is central to the movie's theme and success. While all the performances are nothing short of superb, the three showstoppers are Collette, Carell and Breslin. Aussie Collette continues her brilliantly understated career with this turn as a well-meaning Everymom who ultimately only wants to nurture her family. Carell, perhaps the only one with a fighting chance at an Oscar nod, shows us why he's really a megastar: he can act, with a complete about-face from his usual roles as evidence. (Lest we forget, this is a guy who up until recently was a fake-news correspondent!) And Breslin (Signs) is simply an amazing young talent who provides all the wide-eyed caffeine the film needs and then some, but does so with precious maturity. It's as if she inspired the title.

Direction

There's a quirky behind-the-scenes story, too: Sunshine's directors--plural--are married to one another! Husband-and-wife duo Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris are widely known music-video directors, but not the type who would make their big-screen transition with something like, say, Torque; thankfully, they chose substance over style. If not for these very gifted directors, Sunshine could've come unhinged where so many pedestrian "dysfunctional family" indies do: by turning the characters, each with a laundry list of defining quirks, into caricatures. But thanks in equal parts to the direction, acting and flawless script (from first-timer Michael Arndt), there is so much truth to each character. Most notable, though, is the linear nature of the story; these directors clearly don't need swooping twists to convey their themes and profundity, and that is rare and remarkable. The climax with which it all culminates can only be described as unforgettable.

Bottom Line

Hollywood.com rated this film 4 stars.

Movie

Little Miss Sunshine

Author

anonymous

Date reviewed

2006-09-07 00:00:00

Provider

MyMovies

Review

This frightfully brave little independent flick may not focus on the most cheerful of subjects - mental illness, death and family dysfunction - but writer Michael Arndt's lithe and witty script, coupled with some enthralling performances, elevates "Little Miss Sunshine" above standard Hollywood fare. The action follows the Hoover family - deluded motivational speaker Richard (Greg Kinnear), his harried wife Sheryl (Toni Collette), their silent son Dwayne (Paul Dano), his wannabe beauty queen sister Olive (Abigail Breslin), their foul-mouthed granddad (Alan Arkin) and Sheryl's suicidal scholar brother (Steve Carell) - as they drive across America to try and get Olive to the finals of the "Little Miss Sunshine" pageant. Now that in it self may not sound like a barrel of laughs but Arndt's subtle screenplay finds humour and pathos in the most unlikely of places.

Given that "Little Miss Sunshine" is the movie debut of veteran music video directors Jonathan Dayton and Valarie Faris, it's refreshing to see that they've opted to stay away from the flashy, over-the-top visuals favoured by their peers and instead focused on getting the most out of their characters. Some of the situations the Hoovers find themselves in may stretch credibility a bit but on the whole they're believable, touching and funny as these six virtual strangers learn more about each other in three days on the road than in all the years they've previously spent with each other. Meanwhile the film's finale - which takes place at the pageant they're fought to get Olive too - is a stinging swipe at the culture of seven year-old beauty queens and their oft all too overbearing mothers.

A near perfect blend of comedy, drama and tragedy, "Little Miss Sunshine will give you plenty to think about but also fix a firm smile across your face.

Movie

Little Miss Sunshine

Author

anonymous

Date reviewed

2006-08-31 15:00:16

Provider

Review

This off-kilter tale of a screwed-up family and their cross-country journey to a child beauty pageant could've been yet another disastrous American fam-com. But the consummate cast’s polished performances of a tight script make Little Miss Sunshine an hilarious and poignant movie.

No one is normal, everyone is exceptional, and what an exceptional bunch these are! Mum, Sheryl (Toni Collette) is supporting the family finances and serving chicken in a bucket for dinner (again) to: Dad, Richard (Greg Kinnear), a failing motivational speaker; Grandfather (Alan Arkin), a coke and heroin taking, foul-mouthed, sex-fuelled rebel; Dwayne (Paul Dano), a raging Nietzsche-reading teen who’s taken a vow of silence; and Olive (Abigail Breslin) a cute, but plump, down to earth 7-year-old who dreams of beauty queen glory. Oh and Sheryl’s just picked up her brother Frank (Steve Carell) from the hospital following his suicide attempt brought on by losing his job and home when he was spurned by his gay student lover for the 2nd most renowned Proustian scholar in the USA (Frank’s the 1st).

When, by a stroke of luck, Olive gets the chance to compete in the Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant in California, the family sets out in their beat-up VW van. The result is an outstanding tale mixing equal parts tragedy and comedy, littered with blink-and-you’ll-miss-'em one-liners, it’s just one long skitterish indulgence. The cast are great and the script’s better. It’s the best bits of Alexander ‘Sideways’ Payne’s career and all the funniest American indie films you’ve seen, or ever meant to, in one place. And evidence enough that Steve ‘40-year-old-virgin’ Carell is an acting genius who deserves to be showered with important dramatic and comedy roles.

Just go and see it…we’ve told you too much already!