Thought provoking, interesting and really enjoyable..

Rating: 9/10 (3 August 2007)

I love it when a film gets me thinking, especially when it challenges certain very popular ideas and trends. And if you're like me, you'll love this film.
Firstly, the characterization is just brilliant and the actors do a great job with it too, with the grandfather(in the movie) winning an Oscar. It is one of those movies where it is actually fun to see how the characters interact with such strong and drastically different characters. You've got a granddad who's a junkie, a father who pressures his kids to win and only win but is bankrupt himself, a mother who is caring but wants a divorce and keeps fighting, an uncle who tried to kill himself because his gay partner walked out on him, a son who vowed to remain silent and claims he hates everyone in the world, and the daughter who wants to win a beauty contest.
It may seem trivial in the beginning or even when you look back, but there is a heavy dose of philosophy delivered beneath the somewhat trivial story-line. The film itself is an attack on plastic beauty, which we 'enjoy' in beauty pageants. It also depicts many other social problems, exploring ideas such as how suffering brings about learning.
Honestly, I did not laugh at all and did not find the funny parts hilarious. But even then I give it a nine. In a nutshell: its a film that subtly challenges many ideas with awesome characterization and acting that really gets you thinking, leaving you with an indescribable satisfaction.