Little Miss Sunshine

Movie review by Betsy Bozdech, Common Sense Media
Little Miss Sunshine Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 16+

Ride along to dysfunction in quirky indie comedy.

R 2006 101 minutes
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Parents say

age 13+

Based on 32 reviews

Kids say

age 13+

Based on 96 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Little Miss Sunshine is a hilarious but mature family road trip movie. It includes sexual slang and references to drugs, mostly by the grandfather. Gay and straight pornographic magazines (only the covers are shown) and a comedic striptease figure into the plot. Characters discuss depression and suicide (Uncle Frank has cut his wrists before the movie starts; his bandages are visible). There are conversations about "winning" and "losing," as measured by financial success. A character dies about halfway through the film; the family wraps up his body and carries it in their van to their destination. Characters curse (several "f--k"s), and the mother smokes a couple of cigarettes.

Community Reviews

Maala
Maala Adult
May 29, 2021
age 7+

Pleasant road trip

Showed the dysfunctional and hyper paced life in America realistically. Avoided seeing it earlier as it had kids pageant and of which I am not a fan. But this movie showcased the degenerate ways of media where kids are encouraged mimic adults for pageants juxtaposed with an innocent happy kid confused by The media messages and societal ( father's discouraging her from eating ice cream so as not to put on weight; ) expectations. A deftly made movie with funny elements .All the swears, cigarettes, adult magz, drug ( all around handful of scenes ) can be explained to kids if you can explain beauty pageants! ( explain kids: Not that cool and not for every one but adults who like can do ) Also the kid playing Olive is very adorable and doesn't over act trying to be cute. It is a vintage feel movie, the days before GPS.
Sewickleynat
Sewickleynat Adult
November 25, 2020
age 14+

Great family road trip comedy

I think this movie is OK for teens 14 and up. Lots of use the F word otherwise it would be ok for 12 yes of age. Steve Carell is one of my favorite actors and he does a great job in this film.

This title has:

Great messages
Too much swearing
See all 32 parent reviews

What's the Story?

The Hoover family decides to make the trip from Albuquerque to Southern California after starry-eyed daughter Olive (Abigail Breslin) unexpectedly scores a spot in the regional Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant. The whole clan -- sunny Olive; anxious mom Sheryl (Toni Collette); aspiring motivational speaker dad Richard (Greg Kinnear); feisty, drug-using Grandpa (Alan Arkin); cynical teen Dwyane (Paul Dano); and gay, suicidal Proust scholar Uncle Frank (Steve Carell) -- piles into their old yellow Volkswagen bus (which has become the movie's signature image) and hits the road. Naturally, that road is full of all kinds of obstacles -- including car trouble, lots of bickering, and even an unexpected death. But in the process of working together to help Olive make it to the pageant, the Hoovers come to understand each other anew ... or at least appreciate the fact that no one else could possibly understand them except each other.

Is It Any Good?

This is a delightful film with a funny, tight script. It's true that the family road trip comedy isn't exactly a new genre; nor are quirky indie movies about dysfunctional families all that hard to come by. But somehow LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE manages to combine the two into something fresh, engaging, and often hilarious -- with a dash of "aw shucks" poignancy to boot. There's nothing radically new in terms of storytelling or character development, but the film nonetheless succeeds, thanks in part to its excellent cast (husband-and-wife directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris lucked out, casting Carell just before he hit it really big with The 40-Year-Old Virgin). There aren't any wasted moments in this movie; even the smallest action -- Frank buying the dirty magazines, for example -- turns out to matter down the line.

And then there's the finale. Ever since Little Miss Sunshine premiered at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival (and was purchased for a record $10.5 million), the big beauty pageant finish has been making audiences laugh until they cry -- which is pretty much how the Hoovers seem to approach life in general, so it all works out in the end.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the way the Hoovers come to respect one another's differences. How does young Olive remind the adults of their lack of faith, innocence, and commitment?

  • How does the beauty pageant serve as a metaphor for other competitions in the film -- say, between family members?

  • How might Richard be more open to his family's needs, rather than trying to make them conform to his?

  • Why do you think this movie -- a little indie discovered at the Sundance Film Festival -- did so well with audiences? What's it's appeal?

Movie Details

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