Monday, September 04, 2006

little miss sunshine: funny and smart, smart and funny



'little miss sunshine' is, i suppose, what they call 'this year's sleeper hit' - a beautifully observed comedy in the truest sense - something about what real life is really like. i won't say much about the plot, other than it's a very dysfunctional family (or maybe it just seems that way - i've only encountered a couple of families that seemed functional) on a road trip. as is usually the case in this kind of film, the journey is the destination, but the joys and sorrows of this journey manage to take in a critique of the american dream, father-son relationships, ambition, teenage angst, the sexualisation of almost everything in our society, and ultimately the truth that it is in broken moments when we are both most human, and possibly most lovable.

it's also profoundly funny.

but it's that last point that stays with me - when we are most broken, we are perhaps most able to be ourselves. at the same time, when we it seems like we have lost everything we held most dear, that's when we can make an exuberant gift of our usually hidden abilities to take risks. if this sounds ambiguous, it's because i'm trying not to give away too much of the film...so go see it and let me know what you think.

8 comments:

Suzanna said...

Everyone was deplorable and everyone was lovable. But from our vantage point. The beauty of story is perspective. This movie has genius to get it right...I felt safe watching this. It told me all bets are off, like we actually can be ourselves and have that actually be necessary. This movie is making me brave.

The Harbour of Ourselves said...

I will jave to see this fair one...

...what was it George Eliot said? "It is never too late to be what you might have been."

lulu x

gareth higgins said...

sorry damnflnaderz - dvd player still not fixed yet - but is with the mad scientist who should be able to work his magic. apologies for not writing this sooner - but there was no news to report. thank you, however, very much indeed for your advice. i look forward to watching shogun if and when someone sends me a copy. i remember it fondly from my childhood.

The Harbour of Ourselves said...

I prefered monkey - but then i guess you could have predicted that...

gareth higgins said...

i am indeed a fan of pirates - but not of the carribean variety - and haven't seen shogun since i was a wee boy. but i shall rent 'shogun' sooner or later, so thank you for your offer, but i shall save you the effort. hopefully my dvd player will be back with me later this week.

Anonymous said...

hey there just been to little miss sunshine and loved it, funny sad just great.Olive was perfect and the the big brother perfect.

Ryan said...

Did you recognize that Redondo Beach was infact not Redondo Beach, but was Ventura, California? The same Ventura, CA that you were able to enjoy during this year's Soliton...

Anonymous said...

i LOVED this film and laughed my ass off! It's very touching and telling!