So I rarely go out to see movies in the theater but when a friend, whose taste I trust (and I don't have many friends like that) suggested that I go see Little Miss Sunshine, I obediently went. Score another big point of trust Leighton, thanks for the recommendation.
Little Miss Sunshine follows the story of a family of four, an uncle and a grandpa on a trip to go to one of the many "Little Miss" pageants that, quite candidly, pollute our society. I recently wrote a blog post (see Ben, I can learn!!) that included a discussion I had with my daughter Zoe about how magazines at the grocery store check out counter do one thing very successfully: convince beautiful women all across this great nation of ours that they are not beautiful.
These competitions find strong allies in these magazines. Regardless, the story follows the family as they drive across country and ultimately enter into a beauty contest.
The story is beautifully written by Michael Arndt and it's his first movie, it appears according to IMDB. By the way, let's face it if the story isn't beautifully written, the best acting and special effects in the world wouldn't save it. I just wish, really hard by the way, that the writers, the true stars of Hollywood would get the credit they deserve.
Great writing, of course, can be ruined by terrible directors or actors. In this case the acting was stellar.
First and foremost, Steve Carrell played the uncle who is a renowned Proust scholar (I know almost nothing about what this means but there is a taste late in the movie and it's funny) and was recovering from a failed suicide attempt and was astonishing.
I dig the fact that he chose a role where he had to show additional range and he did it beautifully. Something tells me he is going to become Jim Carrey with additional depth and I think Jim Carrey has a ton of depth...try Truman Show or Man on the Moon, he was terrific in both.
Article comments