A family road trip movie in which they discover what winning is all about

Rating: 10/10 (27 June 2006)

Well done movie. The bus scenes were so funny. Definitely a bumpy ride, but worth it! Steve Carell as the number one Proust scholar was excellent. Paul Dano's anti-social Nietzche loving teenager was so impressive, his role for more than 3/4 of the movie involved no speaking. Toni Collette filled the role of Olive's mother-Sheryl beautifully. Greg Kinnear was perfect as the annoying emotionally disconnected dad. And Alan Arkin was the character that kicked it out of the mainstream all together.
I laughed so hard I cried, a cliché, but its been a rare experience for me in the movies.
In the end Family-real life experience was what they discovered and won. The beauty pageant finale with Olive is going to be a classic, a send up on the insanity of primping or pimping little children right out of all childhood innocence.
Can't say more without giving something away.