One of the best of 2006

Rating: 9/10 (2 August 2006)

Little Miss Sunshine, starring Greg Kinnear, Toni Collette, Alan Arkin, Steve Carrell, and the absolutely amazing Abigail Breslin is a true gem of a movie. Its funny, witty, intelligent, even has slapstick, pathos, drama and some very touching scenes. Just when you think that the script will divert into National Lampoon territory or the characters become caricatures it pulls back from the precipice and delivers a scene so touching and real and full of heart and soul.
The story involves a family where everyone has some eccentric quirk and they go on a road trip in a beat up 1972 VW bus to a beauty pageant in California. Could be so contrived, so "RV" and yet these people really care about one another and have depth and that's what saves this film.
I'm gushing because it seems like forever since I've enjoyed a movie in the theater so much. I would love for this to become the Sideways of 2006, the little indie that could. I hope that Abigail Breslin receives the accolades she most richly deserves. And Greg Kinnear, fresh from Matador (a wonderfully funny film that's a must see) is great as the motivational dad. And Steve Carrell, who plays this straight, is wonderful as the depressed uncle.