The Question, Part 3

Rating: 8/10 (7 February 2007)

Watching "Little Miss Sunshine" you understand that a movie sometimes doesn't need a lot. Not special effects, not a big production, not an A-list ensemble and lots of other things make the movie something to talk about; but what definitely makes it an unforgettable experience is Abigail Breslin's fabulous performance. She is nine years old, for god's sake.
This could be the "Sideways" of this year, I mean. It is a road-movie; the writer finds the characters an excuse to make a trip that obliges them to talk and, like we say here; "take the dirty laundry out", which means speaking about everything bad we think of people. In this case, it is a family; and a very dysfunctional one, unluckily.
Abigail Breslin is Olive, the excuse for the trip, because she is participating in the singing and dancing contest, 'Little Miss Sunshine'. Grandpa (Alan Arkin) is the one who's teaching her the moves. His son Richard (Greg Kinnear) lives by a philosophy of not being a looser, when, sadly, he is one. Sheryl (Toni Colette), his wife, is a liberal housewife with a brother, Frank (Steve Carell), who tried to kill himself but failed. Their other son, Dwayne (Paul Dano), doesn't talk and will stay this way until he fulfills his dreams.
With this over the top character personalities, the screenplay could have been an exaggeration of reality; but no. It is indeed a representation of reality, in the words of Michael Arndt, who is Oscar-nominated for his first and only work. Going back to the "Sideways" comparison; as this film, "Sideways" was nominated for best picture, best supporting actor and actress and for best director, but it won for best adapted screenplay.
Analyzing it, Arndt has an advantage: his tale is original. It comes from I don't know where, but it tells the story of a family that somehow you end up loving; and I don't know how he does it. Alexander Payne was nominated for best director, and although Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton aren't, to pursue this after experiencing only with musical videos has merit.
Their control of the still cameras is admirable and I expected lots of changes of frames, having read the artists they had made videos for. In the world of musical videos we find a lot of movement, but "Little Miss Sunshine" appreciates stillness; and it does justice to it. However, it doesn't appreciate silence so much.
The music is too weird and seems inappropriate sometimes, but I guess that's one of those things only the filmmakers understand. This is just an analysis, but probably "Little Miss Sunshine" isn't great as a film, but many of its elements make it really good. Particularly the castI said that I had to watch this cast before I could say "The Departed" was the ensemble of the year. Now I watched it, and this one is better.
There are little moments for all the actors, and there are unexpected portrayals: you're not getting what you expect from Steve Carell; Toni Colette is great (watch her movements when she's not talking); Greg Kinnear moves, Alan Arkin gets the laughs, Paul Dano has a big future and I already talked about Abigail Breslin.
I guess that in the end, "Little Miss Sunshine" is a very nice film that doesn't pretend. It is simple but with complex characters and, like "Sideways", it made his mouth to mouth and critically praised road to the Academy AwardsBut is it the Best Picture Oscar of the year?