As Robin Williams did in Good Will Hunting, Jim Carrey in The Truman Show, and Adam Sandler in Punch Drunk Love, Steve Carell tries out his dramatic acting chops in the movie Little Miss Sunshine. Well, less dramatic, more subtle humor. Whatever it is, he did great.

This movie is about a family’s unplanned road trip to sunny California where a young girl’s dream of becoming a real beauty queen awaits her. Roughly a thousand miles of highway, and a VW bus that is definitely on its last leg, forces each family member to grow a little as a human being and ultimately together as a family. This dysfunctional taste of America consists of:

A teenage son that communicates with a pad and paper. An adorable daughter who wants to be the next Little Miss Sunshine. A suicidal, gay uncle. (Carell) An in-your-face grandfather who is the daughter’s unofficial beauty coach. An unemployed father who is obsessed with being a ‘winner’. (played by Greg Kinnear) And the mother that holds the family together.

If that reminds you of your last family reunion, then this is the movie for you. If not, see it anyway. At the very least it makes a good anti-VW bus campaign ad. Little Miss Sunshine is full of the humor of everyday life with a few surprises. It’s relatable to just about anyone and the ending hits you right there (I’m pointing to my heart in case you were wondering). It also isn’t one of those dry-humor, idie films that everyone’s supposed to like but doesn’t (see also Lost In Translation). It is truly a good movie and a great rent. The pageant scene at the end made me laugh harder than I have in months. You’ll know what I mean when you see it. That scene alone is worth the $4.25.

Popularity: 1% [?]