A Bitter-sweet Soul Candy

Rating: 9/10 (27 October 2006)

It all began for me when I saw the trailer a year ago. I was somehow hooked on it, not realizing why. Was it the sight of Steve Carrel? The notion of another comedy with Arkin, whom I adore since Edward Scissorhands? No idea. But I was hooked nonetheless. Then I got to travel to Canada after i got discharged from the Israeli army. I can honestly say that those three years I wasted in the army, those horrible years of despair and entrapment, they were all worth it. Not because I gave to my country, oh no. But because I decided to go to Canada and watch this piece of art.
The dysfunctional Hoover family decides to do everything for their youngest kin, Olive. She's a sweet girl, and she just entered the final round of a beauty pageant in California. That's all she wants in life, and the family obliges, and the journey from New Mexico to California ensues.
We have the father, Richard (Kinnear), a failed motivational speaker, a loser, and a destructive force in Olive's life. The Brother, Dwayne (Dano), 15 year old, who vowed a vow of silence following his biggest dream, and Nietzche. The Uncle, Frank (Carrel), a gay, suicidal leading lecturer of Proust. The Granfather, Edwin (Arkin), Richard's father, a drug addict, grumpy, perverse and Olive's personal Trainer.
And then we have the Mother, Sheryl (Collete), a neurotic, loving, bored, helpless glue to this circus of a family. Collete brings an extra feel to this diamond of a movie, with a brilliant performance that can be matched only by the performances of her fellow actors.
I've heard some people claim that without all the harsh language, this movie could be a lot better. I disagree, and not only because I think this movie, in particular, is perfect as is, but also because eliminating cuss words from movies who try to portray real life is the same as taking cuss words off the street. Almost everybody I know speaks in semi-harsh language. It's realistic that way. Makes everything look much more authentic. Try a gang-based movie and take the language out, what do you get? a bunch a guys shooting other guys, and looking noble and polite while they do it.
This is not a family film. The language, the sexual content, drugs, and, more importantly (and the most... disturbing) the storyline nearing the end. They all suggest an R rated film. That's because ideas of such deep intersection on life on earth cannot be shown to young children.
I've never in my life cried and laughed so much in such small periods of time. Plus, it's been a long, long while since I saw an audience giving a four minute standing ovation for a movie theater with neither the directors or the writers in there. They just applauded a big white canvas. And I saw it twice, and twice they stood up and put their hands together. Because this movie is bigger than life. It's the story of all of us. So funny, so sad, so tragically hilarious, nobody can resist it. True problems for true people, and some serious, ingenious problem-solving that seems to come out of the characters themselves, almost eliminating the notion of a "Writer" to this huge masterpiece.
A true soul candy like I haven't seen in a lifetime.