What? Another dysfunctional-family movie? Hold on – this one is more enjoyable than most. Kinnear is a foundering motivational speaker, Collette his stressed-out wife, Carell the gay Proust scholar just getting over a suicide attempt, Dano the 15-year-old Nietzsche-follower who’s taken a vow of silence, Arkin the crusty yet hilariously-foul-mouthed drug-snorting grandfather, Breslin the spunky 7-year-old who only wants to enter the “Little Miss Sunshine” beauty pageant. It’s a crazy-mix road-movie and you just have to take a running leap on the old VW bus and go with it. Good music by Mychael Danna enhances the proceedings without being overwhelming. Extras include 4 (!) alternate endings, commentary by the directors, a music video, and trailers.
Movie Reviews
DVD Review: “Little Miss Sunshine”
(20th-Century Fox. 2006. Widescreen/Fullscreen. 103 minutes. Rated R. Directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris.) Greg Kinnear, Toni Collette, Steve Carell, Paul Dano, Abigail Breslin, Alan Arkin. Music by Mychael Danna.