Little Miss Sunshine

Little Miss Sunshine (Jonathan Dayton / Valerie Faris, US, 2006) ★★★★

Everyone dreams of success. But what exactly does it mean? Is it to achieve a goal? Or is it the process of putting efforts in? To the Hoovers, a rare family trip will bring the best answer to the definition of success.

Richard the dad is full of faith with his “nine steps to success” and seems to have the chance to get it published. Sheryl the mom is a housewife who wants to get everything done well enough and has to support her husband and look after her children and father-in-law. Dwayne the son wants to get in the Air Force school by vowing not to speak a word, but actually it’s just the way to show his discontent from rebellion. Edwin the grandpa was banished from a retirement apartment because his strange philosophy of life of indulging himself by taking drugs. Frank the uncle failed to commit suicide after losing everything and feels deeply weak with his life. Olive the little daughter gets the chance of getting in the competition of “Little Miss Sunshine,” and that’s how all things start.

Originally as an assistant, Michael Arndt shows his creativity which is as good as professional screen writers with this screenplay. He also proves that the workers behind the scenes could also be very talented. After getting famous with their music videos, the husband-wife directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris did a terrific job in this movie debut and have a limitless prospect. The performances by Greg Kinnear, Toni Collette, Steve Carell, Alan Arkin, Paul Dano and Abigail Breslin are absolutely perfect.

During the continuously hilarious plots, interacts and encounters of the characters more or less make people identify with themselves. Within only two days, they learn unity and encouragement in obstacles, they understand the importance of family with a farewell, and the most of all, they find the definition of success in failures. While facing life as a series of competitions, this film presents the clichés creatively and emanates an enchanting vitality and makes everyone desires to feel caring with the ones who’s the most intimate to us and even senses that it’s not hard at all to love ourselves.