Little Miss Sunshine

Went to see the excellent Little Miss Sunshine last night and it made me laugh out loud more freely than any film in a while has been able to. The film follows little Olive Hoover and her family as they travel to California so that she can compete in the hideous Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant (for 6-7 year olds!). Each cast member gives in a fantastic performance as their respective member of this fractured family and together with a pretty tight script and wonderful cinematography, it is on the whole a delight to watch, and needless to say I recommend you to do so.

However, it isn't flawless. Sometime about midway through I had to tell myself not to get caught up on some stretches of the premise (no police action by the hospital/car pool people? Horn mysteriously stopping during the emotional bit and whilst parked outside the hotel? Security not taking over in that end scene). Also, the family seems so fractured at the beginning you wonder why their together at all, but then again I know first hand at times that this can be true! It's all minor stuff in any case, as you really are having so much fun (sometimes in the so-painful-but-nice way), and the film nicely avoids any over-the-top emotional sugary end. There you go then, a well-managed and very funny film and one that doesn't make you feel that you're being used in a some boardroom formula. Beautiful.