A hysterical satire on beauty competitions and family

Rating: 10/10 (19 August 2006)

Well worth the nine dollars it took to get in to see this under-appreciated gem. I saw it yesterday and found that it was already in the small theater with a small audience opposed to the large, crowded one it deserved! The entire story was interesting and cleverly plotted, but it was the last twenty minutes that made the whole film for me, I swore that I burst a blood vessel and I could barely breathe properly. Steve Carell is brilliant as usual as uncle Frank who had just attempted suicide and father Greg Kinnear makes you wish you could hit him square in the jaw. Though I am usually opposed to any goth-like character, Dwayne made the film fresh and was a definitely a highlight in the story. The cast was sparkling and brilliantly acted, including Olive, the young daughter who aspires to eventually become Little Miss Sunshine. If this movie does not win any Academy Awards I will be sorely disappointed.