Little Miss Plagiarism, but still OK.

Rating: 7/10 (12 September 2006)

Firstly it is an amazing film, I think my mum would love it, but for me it just reminded me of the pain of growing up and how dysfunctional families can be. Telling the story of olive who so badly wants to win the Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant and the wacky road trip that her family take to get her there. The thing that I didn't like about the film was the lazy film-making stealing bits from 'National Lampoon' to 'Napoleon Dynamite' amongst others; you will see what I mean when you watch it. So they are arranged into a new story of sorts but the plagiarism is blatant, maybe someone who doesn't watch a lot of films wouldn't notice but for me personally it spoilt the viewing experience a little. The family dynamic is portrayed well with some great performances from Toni Collette as the mum trying to hold together the rabble, Steve Carell (fresh from being the American 'David Brent') as the suicidal gay teacher Frank and Greg Kinnear as the dad always trying to prove himself a success. Add to this the son who won't speak and the drug addicted granddad and you've got a right mixed bag of characters all travelling along in a knackered up VW van to California. As you can well imagine it isn't all smooth running and from the go get you can let the laughs commence thick and fast. A mixture of script based and slapstick gags it never really lets up and isn't typically preachy or moralistic for an American film, although there is a bit of the old family bonding nonsense in there, well how could there not be? Not disturbing enough to be ranked alongside a Todd Solondz movie, but just weird enough to make a fifteen certificate. If 'Sideways' was for the dads then this is definitely a film for the mums. A great little film that deserves to do well.