Richard Hoover

Richard Hoover is a main character in the 2006 Drama-Comedy Little Miss Sunshine
Richard Hoover is the husband of Sheryl Hoover, father of Olive and Dwayne Hoover, son of Edwin Hoover and brother-in-law to Frank Hoover.
He is playd by Greg Kinnear
== Biography ==
Richard is a goal obsessed, unsuccessful motivational speaker. You start to realise that he is goal obsessed only because he has never tasted it himself; he loses a book dealership bringing them to near bankruptcy, him and his family already had financial problems before losing the contract, he is unsuccessful and his Volkswagen he owns is falling apart.
Richard often exclaims to Olive that she should always be a winner. He says: “There's two kinds of people in this world, there's winners and there's losers. Okay, you know what the difference is? Winners don't give up.” “There are two kinds of people in this world, winners and losers.” “Sarcasm is losers trying to bring winners down to their level.” 
During the road trip to the Little Miss Sunshine contest, his father, Edwin, is continuously questioning his authority in the van. This is shown when Edwin is giving advice to Dwayne about sex, Richard tells Edwin to stop but refuses, showing Richard’s inability to take control. In the restaurant, Richard questions Olive’s choice of ice cream saying that it will make her fat. The rest of her family question his authority by with grandpa at the front. Richard is at the thought that beauty pageant winners are skinny and eating ice cream would make you fat. And being fat is a form of losing.
With his book dealership and his failure is exposed to his family, we then see Richard going that extra step by going to his manager and confronting him asking why the dealership didn’t sell. Another back fall strikes when his father, Edwin, dies although this is heavy on Richard he doesn’t give up and continues to drive to California to fulfil Olive’s dreams of participating in this pageant. Olive is finally entered into the pageant after a near failed registration for arriving too late. Here is where we see Richard’s more human and caring side when we fears the ridicule Olive is receive if she performs her last routine due to the other contestants performances. 
Olive finally does her last routine and through ridicule and embarrassment, Richard joins her in her stage act with Sheryl, Dwayne and Frank. Shoe obviously does not win but the fact that she believed she could win makes up for what Richard Believed in. In the end the whole family is united through the loss of Dwayne, Olive's loss, Dwayne's colour blindness and breaking his vow of silence, Franks attempted suicide and Richards deal loss they are closer than ever. Richard is not mad at them for losing but happy with them for believing they could achieve that goal. So to some extent you can say that all of them won. But the real win at the end was how close the family has bonded and got through. 
== Personality ==
Richard Hoover, the father figure in the movie 'Little Miss Sunshine,' is a complex and multi-faceted character. While he may come off as harsh and unlikable at first glance, a deeper look into his personality reveals a man with many flaws, but also some admirable qualities.
One of Richard's defining traits is his grumpiness. He always seems to have a scowl on his face and is quick to snap at anyone who crosses him. This could stem from his high-strung nature, as he is constantly trying to keep everything under control and may become easily frustrated when things don't go according to plan.
Egotism is another trait that is evident in Richard's character. He believes that he is superior to others and often looks down upon those who don't meet his standards. This is especially evident in his belief in Darwinism, where he sees the world in terms of winners and losers. He has a competitive streak and always strives to be on top, even if it means putting others down.
Despite these negative traits, Richard does have a few redeeming qualities. He loves his family, especially his daughter Olive, and will do anything to see her succeed. He also has a strong sense of determination, which is evident in his goal to get Olive to the Little Miss Sunshine pageant. He is willing to go to great lengths and make sacrifices to ensure that his family achieves success and happiness.
However, Richard's flaws and egotism often cause him to alienate himself from his family. His constant criticism and lack of sensitivity towards others create a wall between him and his loved ones. This is seen in his strained relationship with his son Dwayne, who refuses to speak to him and even tries to leave the family at one point.
As the story progresses, Richard is forced to confront his failings and the impact they have on his family. He slowly realizes that his strict beliefs and rigid ways are creating more harm than good. He learns to let go of his need for control and finally lets his guard down, allowing himself to be vulnerable and connect with his family on a deeper level.
In the end, Richard's journey is one of growth and self-discovery. He learns to embrace his imperfections and to love his family unconditionally, flaws and all. While he may not be the perfect father, his determination and love for his family ultimately make him a likable and relatable character.
Category:Male
Category:Parents
Category:Spouses