LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE

Director: Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris (TV work)
Starring: Abigail Breslin, Greg Kinnear, Steve Carell, Toni Collette

I don't have a doubt in my head that there will be a small group of viewers who absolutely ADORE this cute little film (and that's with a capital A D O R E, so you know I mean business). I heard a couple of them during my screening, snorting in their caffeine-free diet pepsis at every joke, and convulsing with rapture at the cutsie scenes. All I have to say to these people is "good for you". I'm glad you found something to make you so ecstatic. For my part, I wasn't necessarily one of these people, but I still liked the film. I saw a cute little crowd-pleaser with enough flaws to concern me, but not nearly enough to turn me off.

I will admit I came into the theater a little trepidacious about this flick due to the overwhelming press it's been receiving since Sundance. (Frankly, I'm glad it's finally out so I can stop reading about it. The same goes for Snakes on a Plane.) I've never yet found a film so over-hyped to live up to expectations, so naturally I was worried. As is usually the case, though, the hype had some grain of truth to it, just not enough. This was a good film, just not the masterpiece that's advertised.

In fact, Little Miss Sunshine runs like a college composition on creative writing. There isn't a human being in this story. In their place are archetypes and symbols and, well, "things". Things are nice, but I've always liked people better. However, I think I'm getting ahead of myself here. It's also probably not the best idea to start off focusing on the negative, because really this was a perfectly enjoyable and immensely cute little picture despite the flaws.

It's a roadtrip pic following a family of, well, wierdos on a ride to a Jonbenet Ramsey-like childhood beauty pagent. The dad (Kinnear) is a failed motivational speaker. The uncle (Carell), the self-proclaimed world's foremost Proust scholar, is on suicide watch. The grandad is the most endearing dirty old man you'll ever see - equal parts herion addict and wise old sweet guy. The brother is on a vow of silence somehow derived from his Nietzsche infatuation. The mom's just a normal mom.

The little miss sunshine herself, a perky little chubby girl, must get to her pagent despite all of the obstacles in the way. Of course, with her sweet demeaner, I'm sure she'd be just as happy doing anything at all as long as it was with her family. Over the course of the film the family confronts their personal demons, but in the end they come together to help out the little angel in her contest.

I've got to admit that it was a funny (in a cute way) trip. I won't spoil the jokes, but I chuckled quite a few times. I should point out that the children's beauty contest creeped me out, however, which probably ruined the big ending for me. There's not a lot I find weirder or more disturbing than sexualizing little kids. I should note that the film was going for laughs by showing the contest, but it still literally gave me chills. Ugh.

So the flaws were the fairly amateurish writing and a creepy kiddie beauty contest. That's not enough to take away from the funny, uplifting story and the fine acting. Alan Arkin (as the grandad), Carell, Kinnear and Collette were all quite good in their roles and very funny. There were moments in this film that could have been sickeningly sweet, but somehow they turned out palatable, maybe even pleasing. So kudos. Little Miss Sunshine was a success.

Standouts: Cute script. Good Acting.
Blowouts: Amateurish characters and creeeeepy little kid's beauty pageant.

Grade: B+