When I heard about the varied but mostly positive buzz on Little Miss Sunshine, I vowed to view the film with open eyes. And now I see why there’s a mixed bag response, although, judging by the audience’s reaction at my screening, most found the film uproarious fun, heartily laughing throughout. And it is. On occasion.

Little Miss Sunshine is conflicting because beyond the vapid, erratically uneven, and bland juvenile situations is a droll, lively, perceptive journey. An eclectic blend of personalities that sustains a comical road trip scenario of a little girl just trying to fulfill a dream of being a participant in a beauty pageant where she’s been invited to compete.

See, seven-year old Olive (Abigail Breslin) is a frumpish, supposed plain Jane girl whom we first see in an all revealing image — a television screen reflecting off her oversized glasses. She’s mesmerized by the dynamic forces of a crying beauty being awarded the tiara. Olive is encouraged, however, primarily by the driving force of Grandpa (Alan Arkin) and the supportive ball of rage that is her Uncle Frank (Steve Carell), to pursue her deserved/earned chance to strut like a peacock in her hour upon the stage at the “Little Miss Sunshine” competition.

The Hoovers’ less than perfect lives are immediately pronounced when devoted but peculiar sister Sheryl (Toni Collette) — who has a distinct view on child rearing — picks up her brother Frank from the hospital after a recent suicide attempt. Frank’s professional (he’s “the” self-proclaimed pre-eminent Proust scholar who loses a MacArthur “Genius” grant to an academic rival) and personal lives (his boyfriend leaves him for the same academic rival) have been sent into a tailspin, thus providing the perfect point to their fitting the incredulously American family “norm”.

"There are winners and losers.” So gives us our first taste of one of the fragile psyches forming the foundation of the Hoover clan as Richard Hoover (Greg Kinnear, subtly superb once again), whose hapless sheen and half empty class tells you all you need to know about this motivational speaker, has no idea how truly relevant this dedicated trooper’s proclamations will be serendipitously rendered.

In lesser actors’ hands, the thread that binds this road trip from Albuquerque to California would probably unfurl into a silly, whimsical, and farcical journey of minimal consequence. But with this talented ensemble, and an inventive storyline anchoring the ship, the dialogue becomes a mechanism to enlightment. It’s an erudite tale of lifelong wisdom in the hands of the Hoover family: dad Richard, "pro-honesty" mom Sheryl, Grandpa, despondent Uncle Frank, starry-eyed Olive, and anger-fueled, Nietzsche-loving teen Dwayne (Paul Dano).

And this perfect American family “norm” practically screams psychoanalysis, or not. Especially in another perfectly encapsulated moment that will echo in your mind, when Hoover clan head Richard utters what could be the film's most telling words, “pretend to be normal,” during a particularly harried moment. And metaphorically, the trippy, vintage, yellow VW bus that the family rides in during the thorny, family bonding journey is understandably apropos.

The film’s entire visual and dramatic disposition recognizably harkens back to the well-defined 1970s road films like Harold and Maude (71) and The Last Detail (73) and Paper Moon (73). And according to production notes, the film was shot in sequence, which probably played a part in the continuing, densely emotional and dramatic through-line produced by the film.

On the surface Little Miss appears to be pure quirky escapism. Early on I found it insipid and forced, and yet by the appealing finale, how and why the Hoover clan makes its metamorphosis, is so wonderfully revealed by way of comedy of errors and natural life circumstances that the cute little gem warmed me to its unpretentious visual style, its straightforward and minimalist but colorful, explosive banter; and ensemble performances merged with many truly emotive character exposés.

Like many of the maxims and adages used in Richard’s 9-step textbook speeches, the Hoover family learns to take life’s euphemisms and the unanticipated wisdom and, more importantly, motivating drive from the crass, lovable Grandpa. He comically and fluently becomes the voice of reason and balance, for example telling Richard, whom he usually beats down, how proud he is of him in an unexpectedly tender moment.

In respect to the directors’ wishes, though I will say little about the vaudevillian climactic finale,  I can supportively reveal that it is alternately touching, hilarious, and disturbing on several levels.

And while one expected aspect of Olive’s character is eventually exposed, I nevertheless continually wondered throughout the film why this fairly homely young girl was cast in the film’s featured role. I find out later that Abigail Breslin (Signs (02), Keane (04), The Santa Clause 3 (06)) is actually a Hollywood vet, providing insight into how her naturalistic acting presence made her casting and makeup both refreshing (considering the sterile, flawless casting of many Hollywood child roles) and necessary in the development Olive encounters in the film and the finale.

Despite the successes, especially in several situations of hilarity (e.g. a gas station meltdown, how the car needs to be started after losing its clutch), there are several obvious and explicable stumbles and missed opportunities in story momentum (e.g. being bogged down by the road trip genre, a few clumsy scenarios) and dialogue. More important, the talented and award-winning music video directors (and husband-wife) Dayton and Faris illustrate how out-of-the-ordinary but recognizable characters, a forward moving storyline with shifting moods, and ensemble acting triumphs visual overkill in proving their adeptness at the longer format narrative feature. So much so, that I look eagerly look forward to any future works.

A certain thanks goes to the filmmakers’ cast who facilitate, sell, and protect the broad tragi-comedy with mostly winning results.

Lastly, I stand firm in my early conviction that anything less than an Oscar nom for Alan Arkin as the loquacious Grandpa, larger-than-life and with a bark louder than his bite, will be highway robbery.

by Julian Boyance, completed July 26, 2006

Read the interview with directors Dayton and Faris (http://www.movie-vault.com/interviews/xJKlsXBZTa)