User reviews

A quirky original comedy that works it's way towards a genuinely brilliant finale. Strong cast, sharp humour and good pacing contribute to a modern classic.

Sheryl Hoover (Toni Collette) is trying hold this crazy family together. Her brother Frank Ginsberg (Steve Carell) is just released after his suicide attempt. Her husband Richard (Greg Kinnear) is a bad motivational speaker who is always talking about winning except he's a loser himself. Her son Dwayne (Paul Dano) is tired of his family, and has vow to be silent. Grandpa Hoover (Alan Arkin) was kicked out of his nursing home for misbehaving. Finally daughter Olive (Abigail Breslin) is so excited about getting into the Little Miss Sunshine pageant.

The reason this movie works is that I love these characters. I love everybody except for the dad. They are just so weirdly likable. They are the essence of an underdog story. I love this family, and it's not only for the cute little girl. I even love the VW van.

I am still shocked that this film wasn't nominated for direction at the Oscars and that it lost best picture to the overwrought The Departed. This is film captures far more of life as lived in single scenes than most films capture in their entire runtime. It is not just the great script that has great comedic bits and utterly real characters. It's not just the pitch perfect cast. This is a great *visual* film as well because of the traveling scenes and the quirky design sense.

The direction is extremely tight. Whether it is how the opening dinner sequence delineates character and their relationships-via clothing and seating arrangements-economically or how they kept the interior of the van visually fresh the film is filled with splendid and meaningful images. I think the script and the acting are so good that people just didn't notice the visual niceties the film captures. There's even a couple of hard jokes to land-i.e. Porn in the trunk-that the directors managed to make work far better than the story beat does on the page.

I think the film's theme around the cruelty of the rat race and the insane pressure we put on ourselves because of "competition" land better in 2022. Maybe I am just getting older but Richard is a bit of an jerk who did need to learn to chill. I like that the film isn't anti-competition per se but encourages us to keep things in perspective.

It is very rare to see a movie that can charm the hell out of an audience without the use of special effects, worn-out clichés and bombastic action set pieces these days. It's even more ridiculous to hope that you will see such a film for FREE. But that's exactly what happened to me tonight at a sneak preview of LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE.

I "discovered" this movie right here at IMDb, having heard not a peep about it beforehand. By the time I finished watching the second trailer for the THIRD time, I was floored...and hooked. Luckily, the Bulletin Boards steered me toward the proper link to access sneak passes for tonight's showing, and all I can say is that it will not pain me one bit to pay for the privilege of seeing this gem a second time.

Assembling the best and most unlikeliest of ensemble casts you may probably see all year, SUNSHINE on the face of it is a relatively (pun intended) simple story. Little seven-year-old Olive (Abigail Breslin) has one wish in life: to be considered for the finals of the Little Miss Sunshine Pageant in Redondo Beach, CA. When her big chance comes at the most unexpected time, it's up to her unbelievably fractured family to pull themselves together and make it happen for her, no matter what it takes.

And what it takes is a sad, painful, tragic and yet unendingly hilarious trek in a barely operational VW bus from Albequerque, NM to the Pageant. And although getting there is only half the fun and family drama, you have got to see what happens to believe it when they finally arrive and Olive gets to "do her thing." The strong cast sounds not a single false note, and when the more touching moments arrive, they don't seem forced the way they would in most other big-budget behemoths, because these moments are truly earned. But WHAT a collection of characters this is. Greg Kinnear is letter-perfect as Olive's judgmental, failed motivational-speaker father; Steve Carell finds new shades of darkest despair and human comedy as her suicidal gay uncle, a leading Proust scholar; Paul Dano does amazing things with little more than facial expressions as Olive's older brother who's deep into Nietzche and a vow of absolute silence, and Alan Arkin, though he has played this kind of role with both hands tied behind his back and his eyes closed, still shines like a crazy diamond as her cantankerous and hedonistic grandfather.

And barely holding this motley crew together is Toni Collette, who amazes by playing a mother again and yet manages not to portray the role exactly the same way, (you might recall her Oscar-nominated turn as Haley Joel Osment's put-upon mom in THE SIXTH SENSE.) I'm not at all familiar with the work of the two directors, Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, or the writer, Michael Arndt, but they have definitely raised the indie film bar with this effort. Not a single moment is wasted; not a single scene is in this film without having a reason for being there, and it's all character-driven. There's also nothing fluffy about it - commentary about everything from how twisted our pop culture can be, to how our drive for being #1 winners can blind us to all of the things that are the most important are all there under the bittersweet laughs and tears for the audience to discover.

I can't recommend this one highly enough. And I can't wait to see it again.

I get so disgusted with Indie films about deep characters that have no real personality. Everyone says that they're real because they suffer, when really it's the audience that suffers most. Movies are not supposed to take two hours of my life and leave me feeling vacant and hopeless. I want to spend those two hours with good people who are flawed, like those in my life I love most.

That's what Little Miss Sunshine has, and much more. In the beginning, you won't be sure whether you like anyone. By the end of the movie, you'll wish they were real so you could get to know them better. Their history and their dreams about the future. Bravo, Michael Arndt, for creating something truly memorable.

I saw Little Miss Sunshine a week ago at the Sydney Film Festival, and the audience I saw it with loved it. There was a lot of laughter going on - especially at the hilarious ending. And amidst the jokes it deals smartly with it's theme of the value of chasing your dreams and being one of life's 'winners' versus valuing what you already have. Or put another way, it celebrates the joys of losing in a culture obsessed with winning.

I'm not going to go into detail about the plot, as the film hasn't been widely released yet. There are no huge plots twists, but I think you'll have more fun with this film if you don't know exactly where it's going.

As the film started I wasn't so sure about it. All the characters (apart from Toni Colette's perhaps) seemed to be written as being amusingly quirky in a predictable indie-comedy way. But as the movie went on it became easier to warm to them. I think it helped that the actors appeared to be having genuine fun together. These guys don't feel like much of a family at first, and I wondered a couple of times why these people would bother sticking together, but as things progress the strengths of this particular family unit become obvious. And just as all comedies should, it gets funnier as it goes on. I was pleased to see the script stayed true to it's messages all the way to the end, and didn't turn preachy or maudlin. The whole cast work excellently together, and I hope this film has all the success it deserves once it's released.

Conjuring endless joy & heartwarming feels by bringing together an array of flawed characters, piling them all up in a Volkswagen van and sending them on a road trip, Little Miss Sunshine is the story of a dysfunctional family rediscovering themselves & each other over the course of their journey as they learn the importance of being together through the thick n thin and reforge their relationships.

Directed by Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris in what's their directorial debut, this is a sensibly written tragicomedy that right away acknowledges the flaws of the family members yet provides ample room for all of them to help each other grow & evolve. Each one is intriguing in their own ways, and their interactions have an organic feel to it as well, which only makes the drama all the more effective & entertaining.

The tone & treatment may be lighthearted but the story & characters packs enough dramatic weight & depth respectively and the filmmakers make sure both individual & collective on-screen efforts move things in the same direction, and the balance is sustained from start to finish. Performances are top-notch from everyone, including the young Abigail Breslin. And the climax brings the ride full circle with an amusing, uplifting & cathartic sequence.

Overall, Little Miss Sunshine is a wonderful amalgamation of skilful direction, smart writing & heartfelt performances that promises a pleasant time to all its viewers and delivers it in spades. An impressive & promising debut for its directing duo, it is one hell of a roller-coaster ride that treats its characters' imperfections with compassion & understanding, and is effortlessly elevated by honest inputs from its committed & talented cast. Absolutely worth your time & money.

I feel bad that everyone loves this movie and I thought it was just fun. I can see what they were going for, but for the most part I was felt depressed and a little anxious while watching it. That being said, Abigail Breslin is what made this movie for me! Her performance cracked me up, and the famous scene made it worth the wait.

Here is a film that lives up to the expectations of a very funny trailer. It's an oddball comedy, and it's dark, and it's funny, and it's touching, and it will charm the pants off many in the audience. Here is a simple story in which our lovely contestant and her family try to find their way to California so that she can prove to the world she is not a loser! The premise itself can lead to years of therapy for a family that should get a group rate in psychiatric care.

Expert editing and superb comedic performances from all the principals involved will have many overlook the fact that the plot line is a little too contrived at times. The set pieces will have the audience howling with laughter as we see different characters trying to overcome some pretty irreverent obstacles. The scene at the gas station contains moments of deep sadness and offbeat humor, something that Carrell pulls off wonderfully, and none will be able to look at the trunk of a car, some dubious literary material, and highway patrol the same way after seeing the infamous scene in the film.

The best is of course, saved for last, and by this time we are waiting for something outrageous which "Little Miss Sunshine" delivers unapologetically. A classic track will probably be recharged for a new generation, as the bonds of family precariously balance a moment that could be as tacky as they come.

"Sunshine" is one of the best things to come out of American cinema this year, an original film that relies on a script that understands the differences between generations in the same family. It doesn't explain why each character is as quirky as can be, and it doesn't build much background because it is not needed to make the film work. Kinnear, Colette, Abigail, Arkin, and Correll are a fine team and keep the film's feel fresh throughout the film. Here is a family that has no special qualities or powers, a family that will make us rejoice that creativity is still alive in Hollywood, a film that will provide us with plenty of much needed sunshine in an otherwise pretty dull summer.

It would be unfair to limit the film to one adjective. But charming is the first one that comes to mind. I really don't know how they did it, but the screenwriter Michael Arndt and directing team Dayton/Faris (Jonathan and Valerie, that is) have managed to create a movie in which we are simply so connected to the characters it's frightening. This is a very quirky bunch, and while their traits can be found in everyone we know, they are certainly extremely weird and I certainly don't know any families who are quite as odd as the Hoovers. And yet, we forge such a strong bond with each and every one of them, right from the opening pre-title introduction sequence – probably the best character introduction sequence I've seen since Magnolia. These people are just so real! It's unbelievable just how three-dimensional these characters are. They remind me of The Squid and the Whale – another recent movie that comes to mind when I think of this type of character development – these are just normal, regular people, and the filmmakers developed them as such in the most in-depth, well thought-out and just ingenious way possible.

That brings me to the second adjective: Realism. If you've seen the film you know that some pretty wacky things go on in it, but in the end, these people are just plain real. They are real human beings – at least we the viewing audience come to believe. If they weren't so incredibly well thought out and detailed and rounded, we wouldn't forge such a strong bond with them. But fact of the matter is, the Hoovers have quickly become one of the most memorable cinematic families. Their traits. Their flaws. Their dreams and ambitions. Their dynamics, mannerisms, nuances. Every tiny little detail about these people is just so incredibly portrayed.

Obviously, it would be unfair to say that a comedy isn't funny. When Little Miss Sunshine gets funny, it's hilarious – we're talking pitch-black dark and very quirky comedy, but it works admirably, reaching sort of a peak in the infamous, hilarious and totally wacky traffic cop scene.

The acting is. Simply put, amazing. You won't see any Oscar moments here, no characters that have some particular traits that require various forms of "method acting" to perform. This is simply actors playing a bunch of people who they are clearly quite unlike, but playing them as if they are. The shining star is young Abigail Breslin, who out-acts pretty much all of her older cast-mates. How she can embody a completely other character at such a young age is completely beyond me – and she's been doing it since age 6! Dakota Fanning, watch out! Paul Dano, the other young actor, also delivers an amazing performance. Myself being fresh out of that period of my life, I can say that his portrayal of a frustrated teenager – specifically in the scene where he just explodes (those who have seen the movie will know what I'm talking about) is just so true and realistic. Arkin is brilliant as the old grandfather, who is at once quite annoying and vulgar and at once the most human of all the characters. The three adult leads also deliver wonderful, nuanced performances – Toni Colette, who has quite a streak of wonderful performances in various films, particularly impressed me.

But what makes the film so special is its message – and even more so, how it delivers it. Basically, the film's message can be summed up in one brilliant line delivered by Arkin's character, Grandpa Edwin: "A real loser is someone who's so afraid of not winning he doesn't even try." This is a family who see tragedy after failure after disappointment, and it's just so, so sad to see them so down, because we love them all and we know that they don't deserve it, despite all their flaws. Seriously, this movie is absolutely brutal to its characters. But ultimately, it's absolutely inspiring. Because despite disappointment after tragedy after blow to the stomach, this family just keeps their head up and say "so what; we'll find another way". Their determination and devotion despite all the obstacles in their way, and their ultimate removal from their anxieties and un-winding is simply and absolutely inspirational, and extremely heartwarming.

The flaw of many independent films that carry a message is that they insist upon themselves. Sometimes it works admirably – a recent example I can recall is The Fountain; it's undeniably pretentious, but by fulfilling its own expectations it works as a message film. Little Miss Sunshine delivers its message in simply the most incredibly, charmingly sweet, pure, honest, and innocent way you could ever imagine. It's just so… pure. And that's really the single most engaging and appealing aspect of what is already an amazing piece of work.

I went to a screening of this film at Sundance earlier this year, and this is what I wrote about it immediately following:

This was a little less indie, cast-wise, but was jarringly real in a way that Hollywood rarely fosters. The story is of a limply-functional family, whose good leg is dysfunctional, and of the way that their love for each other is solid, somewhere underneath the varying shades of crazy. This film. Oh, this film! I have never laughed harder, and at such true-to-life comedy--nothing silly or goofy or forced or fake about the lines. It felt more like watching a documentary (minus all the familiar faces) and every time the laughter became almost unbearable, a little dash of agony or melancholic sadness was thrown in, and spawned aching tears. I sigh still, thinking of how completely in control of my insides that cast, that writer, that director all were. They owned my ass, and I will love them forever for it.

I can't wait to see it again. Do NOT miss it.

Do yourself a huge favor and go and see this film and then tell your friends about it. It has no special effects!!! No HUGE stars (though Kinnear and Arkin are famous and perfectly cast) This film has just great characters, unusual but perfectly understandable circumstances,fantastic dialog, wonderful actors,stunning cinematography, effortless direction and seamless editing.This film was very well received by the audience I sat with. I laughed,I cried and laughed until I cried. I heard that this film only cost three million dollars to make...it just goes to show that tens of millions need not be spent to get a treasure. Go see it and be thoroughly entertained. This is one good old-fashioned movie for everyone over 13 (if you preempt the grandfather's language, which is really part of his character). Hope it gets some nominations!!!

It's a big risk when you base your movie around a child. Nine times out of ten it will end in an annoying disaster. The likes of 'Home Alone' are the exception. 'Little Miss Sunshine' is a rare case of getting it oh so right. Abigail Breslin was fantastic in this movie.

Sure she has an amazing cast of adults around her. But in a way that only makes her performance even more impressive. She is not only holding court with them, she is often showing them up and stealing scenes.

There's a tremendous balance of uplifting and heavy material in this movie. It's a feel-good, but it isn't afraid to pull at the heart-strings either. Very few movies find the intricate balance between these two gears as well as this movie does.

It's taken me 16 years to finally see this movie but I'm glad I finally did. It is a treasure. 9/10.

There is some sanity after all: LMS didn't win best picture.

I have read a lot of the negative comments here and agree with most: gags ripped-off from "National Lampoon's Vacation"; the sickening, cynical, hypocritical final act; and of course, the fact that it's Just Not Funny. All shameless, glaring flaws.

I could add a few more: the clumsy plotting, for one. Did you think for one second that the Dad's book deal was going to go through? The outcome of that story was telegraphed five minutes into the film. Did you really believe that no one in the family besides Grandpa had any idea what Olive's big act consisted of before piling into the van to drive to the competition? Did you buy for a moment that the object of Steve Carell's affection just happened to walk into the same mini-mart in the middle of noweheresville, Arizona? Or that the traffic cop would react the way he did to the porn magazines? Or that the entire family would stand like stumps on the roadside as the teenage son had his screaming fit about not getting into the air force? Or that a kid like that would even WANT to get into the air force?? (By the way, why would you cast Toni Collette, the most talented actress in the business, and then give her absolutely nothing to do??)

All of which leads to the movie's biggest sin... It's one thing to create a family of dysfunctional misfits and then lead them through trial and redemption, but it only works if the writer and director(s) treat those characters with affection and respect. But there was none of that in LMS; both the writer and directors treated the characters with utter contempt from the first frame to the last. They created a family of dysfunctional nit-wit stereotypes, and then threw crap at them for 90 minutes and expected us to laugh.

I know I'll get endless crap for this, but I don't really care. I don't see how anyone could watch the last act of LMS and not feel like they've just been barfed on.

We all know comedies have their unbelievable moments, but if they are done well there is an internal logic that papers over the cracks or a cheery momentum that plugs up the plot holes. Not here, unfortunately.

If the girl had been in pageants before, why were they so surprised at what the competition involved or what the other competitors were like? Why had they not taken any interest in the girl's talent routine? Why had the boy not noticed his colour blindness earlier, had he never used crayons at school?

Then you've got the uninteresting, unsympathetic characters like the grouchy old man, depressive gay man, sullen teen...all stereotypes who grate quickly. You can't knock the fact the film is well-made, with a strong cast and some amusing lines...but Oscar-worthy?? No way.

Comedies about families usually come in one of two genres. Often featuring dysfunctional families (are those two words redundant?), they are either broad and goofy ("Cheaper by the Dozen") or dark and abstruse ("The Royal Tenenbaums"). Driving its Volkswagon bus down the middle of these two extremes is "Little Miss Sunshine", a comedy both inclusive and exclusive, one that some will get entirely, while others will whiff on to the same degree.

The title stems from a beauty pageant in which seven-year old Olive (Abigail Breslin of "Signs") competes. For a good portion of the film, the contest serves as a MacGuffin of sorts, putting an already odd mix of family members on the road in bizarre situations that call Vegas Vacation to mind.

But "Sunshine" is far more than the slapstick of "Vacation". It mixes humor both broad and subtle humor into a strange brew of comedy, poignancy, lessons, and life. Huge and deep issues are addressed, topics like death, dreams, and failure. Yet somehow the movie doesn't feel heavy. You'll walk out with a smile on your face because the movie sensibly touches on these issues, realizing that stuff happens and life continues, that the handling of adversity is often what defines people. And above all, there is family, which you're stuck with, for better and worse.

"Sunshine" may not grab you right away, which is part of its power. It burns slowly, introducing the family members to the viewing outsiders through observation, then putting the viewers in the bus with them as they enter a foreign world. All this is done without lapsing into melodrama and without losing steam as the movie chugs toward the climactic final scene, continuously building momentum along the way, before promptly getting out on top.

Rather crude at times, "Sunshine" is not a movie for children, nor is it for anyone who takes life or movies too seriously. But if you excel at finding the askance humor in life and film, then you will relish this offbeat look at a collection of family dynamics perhaps only slightly stranger than most, although definitely more extreme.

Bottom Line: One of the year's best, and likely its best comedy. 8 of 10.

Most people have commented on the brilliance of the acting in this movie. I agree with all they said. Toni Collette, Greg Kinnear and Alan Arkin are as good as we would expect them to be. Add sensitive and characterful performances from Paul Dano & Steve Carell. Spotlight the amazing Abigail Breslin as a believable little girl trying to break into the Child Glamour Business through pageants like "Little Miss Sunshine." It was when I contrasted her less than movie-star appearance with all the adult-glam of the other lacquered and made-up girls that I realized the subliminal message here.

Olive's striptease is an honest (but disturbing) expose of what these pageants really are. It's only when Olive's family join her in making this into a game that we can begin cheering for her while being horrified by the hypocrisy of the whole pageant-thing.

A brilliant movie!

i entered the cinema after reading all these reviews thinking great I'm gonna see something that is great well it fell short of great but not by far. The most touching parts being the end which had me bent over laughing the whole time and the part between olive and her grandfather where as in the trailer it said am i pretty anybody who has a little sister cousin or child will relate to her as being what you would like your child to be full of life and while impressionable independent. i loved the ice cream bit and her clothes cracked me up one of the best parts was frank and the teenage son walking in to the pageant and walking straight back out again. an enjoyable film which will be remembered for its ending id pay to see it again :D

I have to admit, I was drawn to this movie because of the great cast and a lot of positive word of mouth. I watched the movie in a very good mood and when it was over, I said, what is the big deal? I did not laugh, I did not cry, I did not feel anything, except that I had seen this movie a dozen or more times already. It really was nothing special. Arkin's comedic performance was a rehashed role that I have seen others play. I remember a film called "Flirting With Disaster" which was kind of a road movie as well, it was better than this. "Raising Arizona" was much funnier than this. The so-called side-splitting ending with the dance to Super Freak was so tipped in commercials that you knew what was coming. Moreover, the dance just keeps going and going, it got so tedious and unfunny. I'm sorry, I don't want to be a cynic, but this film is just being played up way too much and I cannot believe that it was nominated for Best Picture, it was a weak year, but not that weak.