When I first saw the trailer for 'Little Miss Sunshine' I was instantly intrigued. Focused on the crazy interaction between the family at dinner time, you learn that Steve Carell's 'Frank' is a gay, suicide survivor, and that the son has taken a vow of silence. Arkin plays an eccentric grandfather and Kinnear and Collette play two clearly different types of parents.
Lastly, Breslin is the child stuck inbetween it all. One five minute scene of simple dialogue presents a wealth of information as to who these people are and how they interact with each other. It really is a great lesson in filmmaking.
The story centers on the family as they deal with each other on a interstate journey to the "Little Miss Sunshine" competition in Redondo Beach, California. This immediately strikes the audience as being funny, awkwardly. The reason is that their entrant, the obese but unaware Olive, is probably the last kind of girl you would expect at a contest like that.
Bespectacled, braceleted, and sporting pants that claim shes a "hot mama", Olive is supported by a father who refuses to be pragmatic, as it would make them all losers. Arkin supports her like crazy, - he taught her the routine she is to perform in Redondo Beach - as she is his only granddaughter. One of the more touching scenes in the movie, and another example why Arkin is an amazing actor, comes when Olive expresses doubt at her being in the contest.
Arkin comes through and closes the scene with a quiet style that would impress anyone. If you don't like Arkin before seeing this movie, you will by the time you leave. People who hear of this movie will assume that this is a Steve Carell movie.
Carell knew what he was doing when he signed up: he's simply in the movie, he isn't the star. He has as much screen time as any other actor, which means he can still get away with the "less is more" approach. When he's not on screen you want him on there, and when he is on screen he steals the show.
His delivery is solid, his approach is even better. He makes you feel what he feels by a look, or a line of dialogue. It's really something to see.
If his name doesn't come up in Oscar buzz, I wont be surprised because the Academy is filled with Michael Moore loving morons that think comedies aren't Oscar worthy. I would hope he would be mentioned though, because his acting in this film deserves it. Its just a big step from the Steve Carell everyone expects, which is probably why he signed on in the first place.
(There are some classic Carell scenes in there, if you're really worried about the humor.) Perhaps most overlooked performance-wise is Paul Dano, the silent son/brother who dreams of going to flight school one day. (I've always wondered how you audition for a role in a movie if you have little to no dialogue.
Emphatic gestures?) He's a unique character; in many ways he's the stereotypical teen who dislikes his family. He also idolizes Friedrich Nietzsche and has not spoken a word in nine months, something most teens would not be able to do (or spell, in the case of the former).
He has to portray an amazingly complex character in an incredibly limited fashion: a notepad. Amazingly, he pulls it off. He's got witty lines and presents his emotions just as if he were talking.
I was fascinated by the eyetest he took from his sister. It seems inconsequential to most, but think about it for a moment..
. He's been in a car with his family for an incredibly long time and he decides to play a game with his little sister. It doesn't look like he's humoring her, it seems like he's actually interested in playing.
If his character was like most stereotypical family hating teens, he would never take the time to play. Its really very touching that he would play along with his sister - it's a genuine moment shared between the two. Kinnear and Collette are the parents of the muted Dwayne and the ever-hopeful Olive.
She shares a more realistic world view; she wants her daughter to know how the world really is and isn't shy from teaching her about it. Kinnear, however, plays a struggling motivational speaker (hows that for a depth filled character! Thats competely brilliant!
) who feels it necessary to try to motivate his family daily, even if they've heard it all before, over and over again. Kinnear wants to shield his daughter from the real world issues plaguing 'Frank', but also wants to try to inform his daughter about the hazards of eating unhealthy foods. I guess my point is that the characters in this film are so vivid, so developed, and so believable, that they could all be driving to Wal-Mart a mile away and it would still be fascinating and fun to watch.
The context of a beauty pageant makes it all the better. This independent movie breaks the mold for indies; it was deep, hilarious, and powerful throughout. There were no moments of "what am I looking at", or "what does that mean", or any random sequences of bizarre imagery.
The accessibility of this film is one of its greatest features. A seven year old would enjoy this movie as much as a 60 year old. TOMS LINE: This movie is brilliant, every aspect of it.
If you don't see it, you're doing your movie loving self a disservice. It's Oscar-worthy, and not in that faux sense thats commonly attributed to Clint Eastwood directed movies, but in the same sense as 'Lost in Translation'. posted by juniorthomas @ 10:25 AM When I first saw the trailer for 'Little Miss Sunshine' I was instantly intrigued.
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