Amusingly vulgar family comedy/drama with it's heart in the right place.

Rating: 8/10 (7 December 2007)

The Hoovers are an average middle class family like anybody else but their family is quite a mess. Richard (Greg Kinnear) tries to be successful as being a motivator speaker but no luck whatsoever. Which Richard who's obsessed with Winning and also hates Losers. His wife Sheryl (Toni Collette) seems to be the only one in the family that tries to keep it together. Especially when she let her suicidal brother Frank (Steve Carell) stays in their house until he gets better. Olive (Abigail Breslin) is the youngest in the family, who wants to be in the beauty pageant. Who has dreams to be the next "Little Miss Sunshine". Richard and Sheryl finds out that their daughter actually got in the pageant, Olive screamed with joy. But they have to travel to far-off California for the completion. Which Richard, Sheryl, Frank, Olive's brother (Paul Dano) and Richard's father (Oscar-Winner:Alan Arkin) are leaving to California to bring Olive to the "Little Miss Sunshine" contest. But this family discover a few things of each other along the road trip and putting their differences aside to keeping this family together. Also trying to bring Olive right on time for the pageant.
Directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris made an entertaining comedy/drama that keeps it real, dark, often very funny and touching as well. This was one of the biggest surprises of both critical and at box office of this well done independent feature. The cast are terrific here. Especially Arkin, who won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor as the man who living his life outrageously. Breslin also got an Oscar Nomination for her amusingly funny supporting performance. Dano is also good as the extremely quiet angered son of the family, who keeps his vow of silence until the day... he gets to fly jets for the navy. The characters development are genuinely good and the casts keeps it honest and fresh.
DVD has an sharp anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1) transfer (Also in Pan & Scan) and an good Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. DVD includes two commentaries tracks, one by the filmmakers and second commentary by the filmmakers & screenwriter:Michael Arndt. Which Arndt won an Oscar for his fine original screenplay. DVD features also includes four alternate ending with optional commentary by the filmmakers and a music video. I would have love to see more features of this very good picture but the first commentary by the filmmakers is amusing enough. This film is also received an Oscar Nomination for Best Picture. This is one of those movies that people keep watching and it will find an new audiences time to time. When Olive finally gets to show her "talents", it's one of the funniest scenes in the picture and it's certainly the highlight. Do not miss this extremely likable film. Super 35. (****/*****).