Quirky, Amusing, but all in all kind of bland

Rating: 7/10 (27 August 2006)

This movie was worth seeing, but it certainly is not worth as much praise as it is receiving. Its a decent little film, with an excellent cast, and some very funny moments. Its also unbelievable in parts, so jarringly so that it takes you out of the experience of watching it. Each main character (With the notable exception of the mother) has some sort of issue or problem they are dealing with outside of the main plot point of trying to get Olive, the young girl, to the titular beauty pageant. The suicidal uncle, the failure father, the rebel without a cause brother, the drug addicted grandpa....all of them face their demons, so we get to all watch. The exposition of these sub plots is where the movie really loses its way. The coincidences involved in some of these things happening defy belief. (You go ahead and see how long you would have to wait at a gas station in the middle of Arizona for someone you know to wander by...as a for instance.) Of course such an event happens in this movie, The always underrated Greg Kinnear does a fantastic job as the driven, yet doomed to fail father. Steve Carrell is not called on to act much, as the Uncle, (Unless staring with glassy eyes, and speaking with a monotone is acting) however he does have a few good moments. The most interesting and funniest character in the movie is the grandfather, played by Alan Arkin. For a guy that is so familiar to so many movie goers, you will forget its him in just a few seconds of film time, and really believe he is this whacked out, obnoxious yet loving grandfather.
All in all, see the film, enjoy it for what it is, but don't expect it to be a life changing experience.