Thoughtful comedy asks some tough questions

Rating: 8/10 (24 August 2006)

Does anyone remember the "Jiminy Glick" skit poking fun at the Independent Film Channel where every movie advertised was about a drug addict, homosexual, and suicidal person hitting the road? The skit then continued with different combos of folks hitting the road and learning more about themselves and life.
"Little Miss Sunshine"--an indie comedy that the studio is betting will have broad appeal--almost becomes that movie. We have a homosexual suicidal Proust scholar (Steve Carrell), a drug-addicted septuagenarian (Alan Arkin), a sullen teen Nietzsche disciple (Paul Dano), and a floundering motivational speaker (Greg Kinnear) all hitting the road in a VW van to learn more about themselves and life. What saves this movie from the typical malaise of many indie comedies are the women in the lives of these lost men. Toni Collette as the mother trying to keep her life afloat and her men happy and more importantly little Olive (Abigail Breslin), an eternal optimist who has just learned she has won a spot in "The Little Miss Sunshine" beauty pageant.
The family has to make an 800 mile trek in two days to get Olive to the big pageant which she has been preparing for all her young life. (Grandpa has been helping her on a special routine for her talent competition.) As the trip begins, each member of the family, except the oblivious and cheerful Olive, would rather not be journeying to the pageant. But as the journey continues and the obstacles grow, getting Olive to the competition becomes everyone's quest.
The cast is fantastic in this thoughtful comedy and it has yet another great performance by Greg Kinnear. Steve Carrell gets to display some range in his role and shows that even if his attempt at movie stardom fails, he will always find work as a character actor. Abigail Breslin, as Olive, though, carries the movie on her small shoulders and makes it work. Will she be crowned "Little Miss Sunshine"? By movie's end she has proved that she is a true ray of sunshine for her struggling family.
I should mention that this movie takes a hard look at child beauty pageants. Should little girls be forced to portray mock adults and be dressed and behave in ways that are seen as appealing in adult women? Should eight year olds be placed in situations that leave them concerned about their body image? The movie asks these questions in ways which may be offensive to some viewers, but I believe are handled acceptably and deftly. The movie's climax is both hilarious and trenchant as it brings these issues to a head and asks that we let children be children.