Little bit funny, little bit drama with a lame road trip

Rating: 5/10 (3 April 2009)

I was not sure what to expect of this movie. My wife has this sick obsession to watch ALL the movies that win Academy awards. This movie won 2. Well we rented it, we saw it, NOTE even though this movie has a kid in it...IT IS NOT FOR CHILDREN...it has some serious adult subject matter, drugs, suicide, teen depression and homosexuality.
It started off funny with everyone at the dinner table. I know Alan Arkin pretty much won the Academy award due to his fantastic ability to deliver the F word. Most notable was his phrase "What's that, chicken? Every night it's the f**ing chicken! Holy God Almighty! Is it possible just once we could get something to eat for dinner around here that's not the god**med f**ing chicken?!"
For some strange reasons fans of this movie like to say that it was unpredictable. It was pothetically predictable. You know that the Father character was not going to sell his self help method. You knew Abagail was not going to win the contest. You knew that the brother would eventually start talking. The only surprise was Alan Arkin dying...which is too bad he was the ONLY entertainment in the movie.
I do predict that Abagail Breslin will become a impressive actress. But I base it mainly on her ability to take on serious roles and roles surrounded by other serious roles. I still liked her more in Raising Helen, The Ultimate Gift, and No Reservations.
This is yet another movie that somehow is in the top 250...how?...I do not know. I have no desire to watch this again.