The 2006 film Little Miss Sunshine is a dark comedy directed by husband and wife duo Johnathan Dayton and Valerie Faris. The film follows the Hoover family’s chaotic road trip to California to get their daughter Olive to a beauty pageant. The Hoover family is dysfunctional, messy, and often comedic. The film portrays themes of acceptance, grief, and what it means to be a “winner.”
When Little Miss Sunshine first debuted it was an immediate success. It was an independent film with a low budget of 8 million dollars, so when it made 101 million dollars at the box office it was a huge shock. The film had four Academy Award nominations, winning Best Original Screenplay for Michael Arndt, and Best Supporting Actor for Alan Arkin. It’s very admirable that a low budget indie film with an incredible screenplay ended up becoming a box office hit. It is rated a 7.8/10 on IMDb, and has generally positive reviews. It is a must-watch for those who enjoy character-driven stories and satirical dramas.
SPOILER ALERT!
When seven year old Olive learns she has a chance to be in the esteemed Little Miss Sunshine pageant, she is desperate to make it to California to compete. Despite the fact that the Hoover family is experiencing financial difficulties, they decide to embark on a journey to the pageant anyways. The family consists of Sheryl (Toni Collete), the mother who works extremely hard to provide for her family, Richard (Greg Kinnear), the father whose failing motivational speaking gig is weighing on the family’s finances, Edwin (Alan Arkin), the war verteran grandfather known for being outspoken, Frank (Steve Carell), the uncle whose recent suicide attempt has left him in the care of Sheryl, Dwayne (Paul Dano), the son who has vowed to not speak until he has reached his goal of joining the air force, and Olive (Abigail Breslin), the daughter whose goal of being a beauty queen drives her whole family to California.
This movie is a fun and hilarious watch, but also an insightful film. The film critiques the societal pressures associated with winning, and embraces self-acceptance with every character. Sheryl goes from being overwhelmed and stressed to being a supportive and active mother. Richard goes from being an insecure and uninvolved parent to being more present. Frank transforms from a broken person into a man whose newfound meaning in life changes his outlook. Dwayne goes from a rebellious teenager to a fulfilled person who embraces family and rejects the often toxic “win or lose” mentality. Finally, Olive learns to be confident in herself and knows that as long as she is trying, she is a winner. In fact, the only character in the whole film that remains static is Edwin, whose eventual death on the road trip brings his family closer. I enjoyed how every character had a purpose and a role to play, which led to it becoming one of my favorite movies of all time.
This film explores themes that are extremely relevant to the average family. This movie perfectly captures the experience of being part of a family. It is both a comedic film with hilarious moments and an emotionally impactful film with applicable themes. If you have not seen the film Little Miss Sunshine, be sure to check it out!
