Review of Little Miss Sunshine (2006) by Stevenf — 17 Aug 2013

It's not too often that family films tug so endlessly on the heart strings, or a film which offers real and genuinely funny moments, characters and adventures all on a road trip to the most unlikely of places for the most unlikely of people. The film is a true example of how it's the simple things which change the rules entirely, and Little Miss Sunshine offers a range of characters all with different dreams, hopes and outlooks in life, and they all come from the same family.

The comedy road trip is a cunning and daring attempt to break from the clutches of similar scenarios and situations, we have some of the most interesting characters to grace the screen who all embrace their part and set the standard, we have the mother, Sheryl (Toni Collette) who struggles to look after her two children and her depressed brother Frank (Steve Carell) who recently attempted to commit suicide, her work-oriented husband Richard (Greg Kinnear), a motivational speaker who simply cannot catch a break, Edwin, played by Alan Arkin, the sharp-tongued grandfather who is very close to one of the children, Olive (Abigail Breslin), who is the little girl with big dreams and who truly lights up the screen in every possible way. She has been accepted into a beauty pageant 800 miles away and the whole family reluctantly agree to take the trip to support the young girl.

Paul Dano plays the other child, a 17 year old who broods and speaks very little during the film as he is having a vow of silence until he fulfils his dream of being a test pilot. Each member of the family have their own grievances which come into play as the film unfolds, and they realise just how much they need each other. The film holds many messages of family values but its underlying themes really hit home the most, it categorises everything in life into simple reactions from other people, preparation, dreams, routine and perseverance, but also despair. Its at these moments that realisation can hit, whether something may not be for you or if you simply don't fit in, its not down to anybody else to say otherwise, being yourself is the most important part and the point of it all.

Much like the job of Richard, the film is subtle and light-hearted life lesson from the excellent writing of Michael Arndt, who holds the equally brilliant Toy Story 3 credit to his name, he manages to use various situations that can be summed up through equal means, Olive is the little girl who lets nothing get her down, and Abigail Breslin simply fits the role like a shoe. Steve Carell plays a character who has seen it all and simply isn't happy with it, and needs his dysfunctional family around him. Greg Kinnear delivers a riveting performance of a man who doesn't seem to pay close attention to his family, but this the exact reason why he struggles through, to support his family and not be seen as a failure. There to bring a realisitc approach to their situations is Alan Arkin, who tells it as it is and nothing more.

A masterful yet subtle film that weaves in and out of every detail of a simple problem and lays it all out on the table to try and work out, with fantastic performances from each cast member who offer various explanations from their characters perspective that make this a must see show for a bit of comic relief and to get a lesson in being yourself.