Little Miss Sunshine DVD Review

Little Miss Sunshine is quite possibly the best film this year. The film stars Steve Carell (suicidal uncle), Greg Kinnear (success program designer), Toni Collette (mostly normal), Paul Dano (under an oath of silence), Abigail Breslin (pageant qualifier), and Alan Arkin (foul-mouthed drug user). After Olive wins the regional competition for the Little Miss Sunshine Pageant, the entire Hoover family sets off on the journey of a lifetime. The son who won't speak, the father who believes he has the plan for success, the drug addicted grandfather, and the uncle who was just released from the hospital after trying to kill himself all get into the family's VW bus and head to California. Soon into the trip the family begins to have troubles such as not being able to start their bus, but they continue on their journey pushing the bus up to speed after each stop. They have even more troubles though, when Dwayne, the silent brother, learns that he is color blind and cannot fly jets in the air force he breaks his oath, begins yelling and makes the family pull over to the side of the road where he runs into the desert. When Olive's grandfather dies the family has a decision to make, stay make arrangements or leave the body to get to the pageant; they choose to take the body with them, in the back of the bus, after passing him through the hospital window to avoid being caught. Finally, the family arrives at the pageant and Olive gets to participate shocking the audience and being banned from ever entering another pageant in the state of California.

The movie is very funny and also delivers an important message. There are many twists in the film that no one could expect and they add to the humor. The DVD also includes many special features including four alternate endings. It can be viewed in either full screen or widescreen with the same disc. The movie has received many great reviews including "there's been no more satisfying American comedy this year" and "Little Miss Sunshine dropped from celluloid heaven" from Newsweek and the San Francisco Chronicle.

I would definitely recommend this movie. It is rated R, but I feel it is appropriate for most ages as the main reason for the rating is language. As previously stated the movie's humor is not the only thing it has going for it and a lot can be learned through watching this film. In addition to the overall message there are many other life lessons that can be learned throughout the rest of the film.