The CineFiles
Little Miss Sunshine
Abby Denne
I suppose after last month’s issue of The Batman, I felt newly inspired to go on a bit of a Paul Dano kick. Though he’s not a particularly well known actor, I felt compelled to see other works of his to compare to his stellar performance of the Riddler. So for this month’s review, we’re taking it all the way back to 2006 to talk about a classic indie, family comedy that is pretty much irresistible to anyone who watches it: Little Miss Sunshine. In my search for more Paul Dano content, this hidden gem is one that I was instantly captivated by.
Little Miss Sunshine follows the triumphs and tribulations of an extremely dysfunctional family as they embark on a chaotic road trip to get their young daughter Olive (Abigail Breslin) to a beauty pageant in California. The family members involved include Olive’s wannabe motivational speaker dad (Greg Kinnear), her mom (Toni Colette), her older brother and aspiring pilot Dwayne (the aforementioned Paul Dano), her rock n’ roll grandpa (Alan Arkin), and her severely depressed uncle Frank (Steve Carell). The yellow VW bus they hit the road in is a character in and of itself, host to a wide variety of moments between clashing, colourful, and dynamic personalities.
With its stacked cast, this movie was already bound to be a hit before the opening scene even began. Even though the endearing themes and comedic moments would have been strong with a different cast, the actors are really what gives depth to it all, to the point where I couldn’t imagine anyone else playing any of these parts. Because this is a film that hones in on character and relationships as opposed to plot, strong acting is needed— and, in this case, it’s an ensemble cast that knocks it out of the park. They add even more emotional nuance to what is already on the page.
To say this is one of my favourite films yet is an understatement. It acts as living proof that movies don’t need to have major theatrics to be good. It exists on a small scale in a small world, and yet the stakes still feel high.
There are moments that are devastating. There are moments that are heartfelt, hilarious, and even awkward as hell. And they all blend together seamlessly to create a true exploration of what it means to be a family. “A winner is someone who tries,” explains the grandfather in the film, and then his son (Olive’s father) as well. Families scream at each other, claim they hate each other, make subtle remarks under their breath and push each other’s buttons, but at the end of the day, you keep trying to support each other. You keep loving them. And you keep pushing the van forward, onto the road, into another journey.
Little Miss Sunshine can be found on Disney+ in Canada for those who wish to watch it.
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