Amazing

Rating: 9/10 (23 October 2006)

I really loved this movie. As a film student it was a great reminder of why one goes through all the hard work to create something that only lasts, at most, a couple hours and which you submit to constant judgment; it's for the chance to create something like this. Nothing is perfect, which is why I didn't give it a 10, but I highly recommend this film.
There's the frustration and tension created by the family and their own failures, but there isn't the usual dragging out of each unhappy moment; just like the family this film is constantly moving. The resolution at the end is realistic (at least for this family) and fitting. I left the theater and smiled all the way home, not because everything was going to be alright in their world, but because there was a feeling of peace at the end of the film.
While this film focuses a lot on the family, the center truly is Olive, Little Miss Sunshine. I am usually disappointed with how children's parts are written and/or acted but I was thoroughly impressed by her work and the part. There's a lot about this film that I'm sure I missed the first time around, and I can't wait to see this film again.