Hear Me Out: ‘Little Miss Sunshine’ is the ultimate feel-good movie

Posted On October 10, 2024October 10, 2024

(Credits: Far Out / Fox Searchlight Pictures)

In the opening sequence of the 2006 film Little Miss Sunshine, we witness the seven-year-old Olive watching a beauty pageant on the television. The reflection of these women, all slim and conventionally beautiful, can be seen through Olive’s thick prescription glasses. We then see Olive from a wider angle, revealing her podgy body mirroring the movements of the winner on the screen.

From the very beginning, the film establishes that it isn’t just a throwaway comedy. Olive stands in stark contrast to the women on screen, who adhere to strict beauty standards that, at such a young age, she has no need to be exposed to. Luckily, she hasn’t yet realised that she looks a lot different from your average pageant contestant, and her determination to become ‘Little Miss Sunshine’ results in the family driving from Albuquerque to California in their worn-down Volkswagen van in the hopes of making Olive’s dream of winning come true.

Each character has their own quirks, which brings plenty of humour to the film, such as Alan Arkin’s Grandpa, a heroin-lover who constantly swears and talks about inappropriate topics in front of his grandkids, while Paul Dano’s Dwayne refuses to speak until he can become a pilot.

Greg Kinnear’s Richard, Olive’s father, is obsessed with his work, projecting unrealistic ideas of success onto his family. Yet, as the film unravels and the family is tested through tragedy, breakdowns (for both the van and Dwayne), and hostile beauty pageant workers, their momentous journey across America becomes transformative for each member. Richard’s unhealthy ways of thinking come to greatly affect his family, and he finally opens his eyes to his passive and often pathetic nature when he has no choice but to stand up for his daughter.

Thus, even Richard, the most unlikeable character, undergoes a meaningful character arc that demonstrates the full scope of his humanity. Little Miss Sunshine doesn’t present us with perfect characters, but they’re entirely relatable as a result, and that’s what makes it so loveable. With every setback, such as the death of Grandpa mid-way through the journey, the family don’t lose hope – they do all that they can to keep pushing forward. Their main aim is to protect the innocence and happiness of Olive, and it’s this motivation that reminds audiences to find as much light in the dark as possible, highlighting the healing powers of comedy and community.

When I first watched Little Miss Sunshine, I was instantly enamoured by its charm. I’m not usually one for a proper feel-good film, but I walked away with a smile on my face. I might have cried through several moments, but not because I found it soul-crushingly devastating. Rather, I found the way the family band together in spite of their differences, all for the sake of Olive, so heartwarming.

The film’s dark humour stops it from becoming overly sentimental and cheesy, and the tenderness exchanged between the characters during certain moments, like when Dwayne defends Olive or when Grandpa tells her how beautiful she is, make Little Miss Sunshine incredibly special.

I ended up watching it again a few weeks later with my housemate, who didn’t share a similar taste in movies with me but loved it nonetheless. Then, several months later, I showed it to my parents, who were also captivated by it. It’s the kind of movie that has the power to unite audiences simply because it taps into those universal feelings of needing support from your family, finding joy, and living a fulfilling life.

While there are many emotional moments within the film, the family’s ultimate commitment to each other allows the plot to end on a happy note. After Olive’s pageant dance performance to ‘Super Freak’ by Rick James angers the organiser, Richard finally stands up for his family and dances in the face of wagging fingers and shouts, resulting in the rest of the family joining in and shamelessly jumping about on the stage. It is one of the most genuinely wholesome and heart-warming moments ever committed to film.

Alongside many other tender scenes, it’s this celebration of togetherness and supporting one another that helps to make Little Miss Sunshine the ultimate feel-good movie.

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