Little Miss Sunshine (2006) * * * 1/2

Directed by:  Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Farris

Starring:  Greg Kinnear, Alan Arkin, Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Paul Dano, Abigail Breslin, Bryan Cranston

There is nothing like a road trip to bring a dysfunctional family together.    For the sake of the Hoovers' youngest daughter Olive (Breslin), the family heads to California so she can compete in the Little Miss Sunshine pageant.    It's one of those pageants involving children way, way too young to be wearing that much makeup.     Olive is six and very cute, but she doesn't look like the other contestants, nor does she act like them.    Thank heaven for small favors.

Little Miss Sunshine may sound predictable in its broad description, but it is a triumph of character development and big moments borne out of small gestures.    Everyone learns something along the way about themselves and each other.    No heavy-handed drama here.    Little Miss Sunshine is a warm comedy about very edgy, unique people.    Warm, at least until the spectacle at the end when Olive performs her dance routine taught to her by her heroin-sniffing grandfather (Arkin in his Oscar- winning role).

The Hoovers are in turmoil as the film opens.    Grandpa was kicked out of another nursing home for drug use.    Cheryl (Collette) keeps the family together and is forced to take in her scholarly brother Frank (Carell), who recently tried to commit suicide.    The oldest brother Dwayne (Dano) voluntarily doesn't speak and hates everyone.     Olive is Olive, forever waiting for her moment to shine as Little Miss Sunshine, and then there is Richard (Kinnear), who is an unsuccessful motivational speaker trying desperately to sell his "9-step program" guaranteed to turn losers into winners.    He thinks a deal for a major company to buy his program is imminent, if only he can get his agent to return his calls.

The family's problems are introduced during a family dinner featuring fried chicken as the main dish again.     There is plenty of palpable tension between the group as the dinner wears on, but soon Olive gets the call to go to California, and the family sets aside their differences to support her.    Not that setting aside all of these resentments will necessarily be easy.     Plus, their mode of transportation is an ancient van with a burnt-out clutch.   How do they start the van?    The group has to push the van along in unison and then ensure everyone can hop in before the vehicle gains too much speed.   

Little Miss Sunshine moves along anything but predictably.    But, we witness subtle changes in the characters.     One scene, perhaps the best in the movie, involves Grandpa's attempts to console Richard after the deal falls through.     At first, Richard dismissively barks out "Thanks, Dad", but then Grandpa touches his shoulder, Richard touches Grandpa's hand and says in a much gentler tone, "Thanks, Dad."     It is a small moment physically that pays big dividends emotionally. 

Another great scene involves body language after another's aspirations are dashed.    Dwayne wants to get into flight school, but learns he is colorblind.     He freaks out and inconsolably stands on the side of the road.    Everyone's pleas to get back in the van fail.    Olive walks over to him and takes his hand.    We sense the closeness of their relationship in that one gesture.     Little Miss Sunshine, with its Oscar-winning screenplay by Michael Arndt, is about those moments more than it is about plot.   

The ensemble is top notch with gifted comic actors.     No one attempts to steal the spotlight.    Each knows his or her role and one of the reasons Little Miss Sunshine works so successfully is because it is not about individuals, but a collective healing.