Little Miss Sunshine

Little Miss Sunshine is a modern, darker comedy that tells the story of a family's trip to the Little Miss Sunshine pageant in California. The film's characterization is archetypal by today's standards, including all of the dysfunctional characters typical to the disenchanted middle-class.

A good portion of the film was filmed with a hand-held camera. In times of conflict, this aspect of cinematography became more apparent, such as when Dwayne finds out that he is color-blind. In this scene, the camera is jostles back and forth a great deal, signifying and reflecting the tumult portrayed in the scene.

Though the Hoovers seem like atypical odd balls, in their own right, they actually reflect normal family by the standards of today. There is the disenchanted teen, the idealistic 7-year old, the over-stressed mother, the manic and overly optimistic father, the emotionally disturbed uncle, and the loud, arrogant, and alcoholic grandfather. Everyone could find something to relate to in this family dynamic. They are the modern archetypes of today.

And thats what makes this movie funny. The universality of the characters in all their endearing flaws and shortcomings, could resonate with everyone on some level. We , as a society, have come a long way since the Cleavers . The Hoovers are the real american family, and leave us all a little less self-conscious about our own "weird families."

Thats all ive got