Simple but poignant and a pleasure to watch

Rating: 8/10 (17 December 2014)

Some people forget that a good movie doesn't need to have spectacular visual effects or an extremely original story line. Little Miss Sunshine is a perfect example. The story is about a dysfunctional family that is forced to travel all the way to California in order for Olive, the daughter, to compete in the Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant. While the plot doesn't seem to offer much on the surface, the film itself does a great job in many aspects.
The first is the characters. The family has six members, all of which have extremely distinct and interesting personalities. Despite there being six main characters, each of them are developed fantastically. Through the journey to California in a cramped bus, the audience/viewer(s) develop a compassion for each of the family members and genuinely cares for all of them.
Second is the casting and acting. Each of the actors chosen for their position fits their role extremely well as shown by their performance. Most impressive to me was Abigail Breslin who at such a young age assumes the role of Olive, a little girl with a determined, sensitive, and passionate mindset. Steve Carell's performance was also surprising as it proves that he can be a talented dramatic actor when he wants to be in this film. In general, the acting in this movie is first-class.
Third, what Little Miss Sunshine does greatest is teach an extremely important lesson subtly but effectively: that family, friendship, and love can be all you need to really be happy. This is probably why the film makes you so genuinely happy despite all the crap that constantly seems to happen to them.
The film, while extremely straightforward, keeps you hooked and never diverts your attention. The comedy is extremely clever and the dialogue is extremely well-written. The story is extremely realistic,believable, and satisfying. The only reason I give it an 8 and not a 9 is that I reserve a 9 for the movies that really stand out in style and I almost never give 10's to movies. But that is not to say that this movie isn't great.