Little Miss Sunshine's Heart of Gold

Rating: 8/10 (22 July 2007)

This movie was always advertised and talked about as a laugh out loud comedy- and it was. But more than all of that, it was a touching and heart-warming story about a completely and totally dysfunctional family... a family that truly loves each other.
Olive wants nothing more than to be in the finals of the Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant in Redondo, California. She's the young daughter of a family that includes a failed motivational speaker father, a brother who's taken a vow of silence, a grandfather who's addicted to heroine, and a mother who just loves them all. On the day that her mother's depressed and suicidal brother joins the family, Olive finds out that she gets that chance she's dreamed of. And now it's up to her family to get her there in their old VW van that barely works. However, the trip is only half the fun- once they arrive, the result is hilarious... and downright moving.
The whole cast is pretty fantastic. Abigail Breslin is plays quite possibly the most adorable little girl ever, and her performance is wonderful. Toni Collette is also brilliant as the mother of this motley crew, and Steve Carrell is also perfect. Their performances are easily the most underrated part of this film. At the same time, Alan Arkin's rather simple performance is the most overrated.
In the end, it's a story about love; love of the oddities and quirks of this family that both constantly threatens to tear them apart and also makes them love each other most. It takes this little girl to help them see that. A wonderfully funny and deliciously sweet film that will last for a long time. 7/10 stars!
Jay Addison