The other two Film Narrators and I went to see Little Miss Sunshine together Sunday. I had been looking forward to the movie for a few weeks now, and my expectations were met. This is one of the best movies I've seen in months, and I am probably going to purchase it when it comes out on DVD.
An avid fan of Wes Anderson flicks, most notably The Royal Tenenbaums, I noticed some similarities right away between Sunshine and Tenenbaums. The camera angles, character development, a similar sense of humor. However, this is not an Anderson film. It was directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, a duo best known for their work doing... music videos.
This film focuses around six family members and you can't help but like each of them. The dad, played by Greg Kinnear, took a little while to warm up to, but by the end I was rooting for him as well. Toni Collette does an outstanding performance as the mother who tries to keep everything and everyone together. The son, played by relative newcomer Paul Dano, has some of the funniest lines, despite having taken a vow of silence-- oh, you'll see what I mean. Steve Carell plays an untraditional role, but shines as well.
In a movie where one bad thing happens after another to a poor family, I tend to get frustrated (I can't stand watching Meet the Parents because I just feel terrible for Ben Stiller the whole time). However, this movie keeps it on the lighter, perhaps sunnier side, and the misfortunes are bearable to watch. After all, they're doing it all for 7-year-old potential beauty queen Olive, and when you see her you'll be able to relate.
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