'An Uplifting Family Film With Wonderful Bite'

Rating: 8/10 (27 January 2007)

I'm sure by now you've all heard about "Little Miss Sunshine", about its hilarious band of misfits otherwise known as the Hoover family, and of course about the plucky charm of 10 year old Abigail Breslin as would be beauty pageant queen Olive Hoover. The film has been praised by many critics as the best comedy in years. I'd say that's a fairly accurate judgment. This may not be the funniest film of the year (Borat!) or the most affecting (United 93) it's one of the most enjoyable films perhaps ever.
The story centers around the Hoover family: Richard (Motivational Speaker/Father) Sheryl ("Pro Honesty" Mother) Grandpa (A heroin addict who's been kicked out of his retirement home) Dwayne (He has taken a vow of silence until he becomes a pilot.. and because of Nietzsche) and Uncle Frank (A suicidal gay Proust scholar who's lost his job and lover). And, of course Olive. Together this rag tag band embarks on a trip for California in a beat up VW bus. The group goal: Get Olive to the "Little Miss Sunshine" beauty contest. Along the way the family encounters many mishaps while receiving many of Grandpa's pearls of wisdom ("Fuck a lot a' women kid. Not just one woman... a lot a' women). The humor however never seemed forced or random. All the behavior somehow seem appropriate inside the confines of each character and their personalities.
The entire cast is superb, without exception. Newcomer Abigail Bresin is quite the find as young Olive. Her performance deserves to be mentioned along with Tatum O'Neal and Anna Paquin as young Oscar hopefuls. However, the film isn't just stolen by, it is OWNED by Alan Arkin as the radical old Grandpa. It's a well written part especially for an "actor's actor" like Arkin. As an audience we enjoy seeing him as the self described "voice of experience".
With a sharp script and capable actors 'Little Miss Sunshine' arrives as one of this year's best and brightest films. It is also a film that will be able to survive multiple viewings due to comedic pacing and all around charm. Without a doubt, one of the year's best!