Parents beware, too much frank "F" talk and language spoils it for many.

Rating: Null/10 (14 January 2007)

I like the premise, I like much of what the movie communicates. But Alan Arkin's "grandpa" character was too filthy for me to like this movie overall. In one scene, while the whole family is in the van, he is telling his 15 year old grandson that his one advice is "while you are young, 'F' (the sex act) all the girls you can", continuing to advise him to do it now, while he is still under 18, so he won't get in trouble with the law. All in front of mom and dad, but little daughter is listening to music on headphones and can't hear.
This kind of writing is puzzling and bad, because it is unnecessary and cheapens an otherwise good movie. Not to mention the bad message it gives to any teenager that might be seeing it. The story could have been better told with milder, less graphic dialog and still established the character for the events near the end. After that scene, the movie never recovers for me.
Greg Kinnear is obsessed with his "9 steps" to success, thinks he has a contract lined up with a firm to publish him, meaning big $$$bucks at last. But his daughter gets a last minute chance to compete in the "Little Miss Sunshine" contest in California, meaning they have to take a road trip from Albuquerque. All the reasons why are complex, and are explained in the opening scenes. Mom, dad, daughter, angry and mute son, heathen grandpa, and an uncle on suicide watch. Much of the movie involves misadventures along the way, plus additional misadventures at the pageant.
SPOILERS. The pageant itself makes fun of child pageants, with little girls dressed up and made up almost looking like prostitutes, singing and dancing. Our little miss sunshine does a dance taught her by her grandfather, who dies on the trip to California. It is a sexy, stripper dance, and the whole family gets in trouble, let go only if they promise to never, never ever come back to California to compete in anything.