Little Miss Sunshine
This indie classic had a heart of gold and a skin more scaly and dysfunctional than your own brood. Just about every character in this tale about a wannabe pageant princess has a prominent flaw that only makes them more endearing, particularly Alan Arkin as the heroin-snorting granddad and Toni Collette as the over-worked mother. Bursting with slapstick and a dark, subversive humour, it was part messed-up road trip, part satire of what it means to be a loser in a winner's world.
- Director:
- Jonathan Dayton (feature debut)Valerie Faris
- Writer:
- Michael Arndt
- Cast:
- Steve CarellToni ColletteGreg KinnearAlan ArkinAbigail Breslin
Reviews & comments
Quirky and laugh out loud
*Sigh*
What a great night out. I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a film so much. Each of the carefully constructed characters comes with his or her own range of of hilarious idiosyncrasies. The way that these clash when this bunch of oddballs is confined in a sunshine-yellow combi van had the audience in fits. (Dad, the faiiing motivational speaker,...
The most entertaining movie I've seen this year
This movie has it all, and for me was the most entertaining I've seen this year. Though it's quite light, it's also very healtfelt and endearing. The comedy is not 'jokey', more character comedy. Every character is very singular and easy to relate to, I identified with each. The young girl was brilliant, so was Alan Arkin, the son, and Gerg Kinnear reminded...
Characterisation returns
Good to see Hollywood put some effort into its characterisation for a change. Each of the characters in this film are obviously plagued by their troubles and Little Miss Sunshine Olive is the one ray of innocent happiness in their family, but despite sounding cheesy it pulls it off with some humourous road trip moments and avoiding the schmaltz factor.
Odd yet endearing
This movie made me crack up and also angry up the blood! The characters were fantastic and really well portrayed... I couldn't stand Greg Kinnear's character (the whole ice cream scene made me want to scream) but by the end I thought the development was a great one. Steve Carrell never ceases to amaze me. His comedic timing is awesome but who knew he...
put some sunshine in your day
This is a great film for many reasons. Not only does it celebrate what every family experiences to some degree (a sense of abnormality), but it lets us laugh wholeheartedly at ourselves because of it. While the plot follows the typical outline of the road trip sub-genre, every other element of this little gem is fresh and cleverly crafted. The tag line...
Variety
pressFamily road trip comedy that shoots down the American culture of the winner and offers sweet redemption for losers. Distinguished by a flawless cast, a gentle spirit of rebellion and a smart script...
The New York Times
pressTucked in between all the hurt and the jokes, the character development and the across-the-board terrific performances is a surprisingly sharp look at contemporary America...
Los Angeles Times
pressAs ambitious, honest and subversive as any American movie since "Election"...
Hollywood Reporter
pressA screwball family takes to the road and wondrously finds itself in this crowd-pleaser at Sundance. A brainy blend of farce and heart, this is one of those movies that veteran moviegoers complain they don't make anymore. Most winningly, "Little Miss Sunshine" should radiate warm appreciation across age and class lines...
Empire Magazine
pressSharp, very funny, surprisingly moving and rejoicing in great work from the entire cast, this sparkling little gem takes the family road movie to unhoped-for heights of hilarity and humanity...
BBC
pressOccasionally the comic incidents feel a little jarring and clunky, such as Richard's attempt to stash a dead body which stops just short of Weekend At Bernie's. Generally though, the story unfolds with a winning blend of sophistication and silliness. Dayton and Faris boldly satirise traditional American values without the easy cynicism - hilariously encapsulated by Olive's precocious posturing at the beauty contest...
Variety
pressFamily road trip comedy that shoots down the American culture of the winner and offers sweet redemption for losers. Distinguished by a flawless cast, a gentle spirit of rebellion and a smart script...
The New York Times
pressTucked in between all the hurt and the jokes, the character development and the across-the-board terrific performances is a surprisingly sharp look at contemporary America...
Los Angeles Times
pressAs ambitious, honest and subversive as any American movie since "Election"...
Hollywood Reporter
pressA screwball family takes to the road and wondrously finds itself in this crowd-pleaser at Sundance. A brainy blend of farce and heart, this is one of those movies that veteran moviegoers complain they don't make anymore. Most winningly, "Little Miss Sunshine" should radiate warm appreciation across age and class lines...
Empire Magazine
pressSharp, very funny, surprisingly moving and rejoicing in great work from the entire cast, this sparkling little gem takes the family road movie to unhoped-for heights of hilarity and humanity...
BBC
pressOccasionally the comic incidents feel a little jarring and clunky, such as Richard's attempt to stash a dead body which stops just short of Weekend At Bernie's. Generally though, the story unfolds with a winning blend of sophistication and silliness. Dayton and Faris boldly satirise traditional American values without the easy cynicism - hilariously encapsulated by Olive's precocious posturing at the beauty contest...
Quirky and laugh out loud
*Sigh*
What a great night out. I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a film so much. Each of the carefully constructed characters comes with his or her own range of of hilarious idiosyncrasies. The way that these clash when this bunch of oddballs is confined in a sunshine-yellow combi van had the audience in fits. (Dad, the faiiing motivational speaker,...
The most entertaining movie I've seen this year
This movie has it all, and for me was the most entertaining I've seen this year. Though it's quite light, it's also very healtfelt and endearing. The comedy is not 'jokey', more character comedy. Every character is very singular and easy to relate to, I identified with each. The young girl was brilliant, so was Alan Arkin, the son, and Gerg Kinnear...
Characterisation returns
Good to see Hollywood put some effort into its characterisation for a change. Each of the characters in this film are obviously plagued by their troubles and Little Miss Sunshine Olive is the one ray of innocent happiness in their family, but despite sounding cheesy it pulls it off with some humourous road trip moments and avoiding the schmaltz factor.
Odd yet endearing
This movie made me crack up and also angry up the blood! The characters were fantastic and really well portrayed... I couldn't stand Greg Kinnear's character (the whole ice cream scene made me want to scream) but by the end I thought the development was a great one. Steve Carrell never ceases to amaze me. His comedic timing is awesome but who knew he...
put some sunshine in your day
This is a great film for many reasons. Not only does it celebrate what every family experiences to some degree (a sense of abnormality), but it lets us laugh wholeheartedly at ourselves because of it. While the plot follows the typical outline of the road trip sub-genre, every other element of this little gem is fresh and cleverly crafted. The tag line...
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