Little Miss Sunshine

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2:26

Little Miss Sunshine

R

2006

1h 42m

Comedy

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

91%

Tomatometer

216 Reviews

91%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

The Hoover family -- a man (Greg Kinnear), his wife (Toni Collette), an uncle (Steve Carell), a brother (Paul Dano) and a grandfather (Alan Arkin) -- puts the fun back in dysfunctional by piling into a VW bus and heading to California to support a daughter (Abigail Breslin) in her bid to win the Little Miss Sunshine Contest. The sanity of everyone involved is stretched to the limit as the group's quirks cause epic problems as they travel along their interstate route.

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Critics Consensus

Little Miss Sunshine succeeds thanks to a strong ensemble cast that includes Greg Kinnear, Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Alan Arkin, and Abigail Breslin, as well as a delightfully funny script.

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Namrata Joshi

Outlook

01/24/2019

3/4

The best thing about American cinema is that besides the studio-assembled big ticket movies, there's also the flourishing indie film movement which keeps throwing up some delightfully refreshing movies.

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Brian Tallerico

UGO

03/24/2007

It doesn't exploit its characters for comedy or life lessons; it simply embraces the family members and lets them be themselves.

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Melissa Anderson

Time Out

02/03/2007

2/6

All indie-movie families may start out unhappy in their own way, but by the time the final credits roll, everyone remains complacent, confident of their brood's superiority.

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

07/03/2023

4/4

...a continuously engrossing endeavor that gets off to a memorable (and instantly-captivating) start...

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Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

09/14/2020

3.5/4.0

The best film of 2006.

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Leigh Paatsch

Herald Sun (Australia)

08/11/2020

4/5

The most unlikely (and effective) feelgood movie you might ever see.

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Blobbo X

@Blobbo Jun 22

Everyone likable almost make movie watchable. (even though denouement preposterous almost to power of infinity.)

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Breathe J

@SilverScreenSweetheart Jun 12

Little Miss Sunshine follows the dysfunctional Hoover family who takes a long, chaotic roadtrip for their daughter, Olive (Abigail Breslin) to be able to perform in the Little Miss Sunshine pageant. I have to admit, this movie far exceeded my expectations! It was funny, emotional, honest, and philosophical. The characters were developed well, with each one having their own traits and distinctions. Abigail Breslin’s Oscar-nominated performance really blew the movie out of the water. She was absolutely stellar in this movie. I also have to say that I loved the appearance of the longtime cop (Breaking Bad fans will understand). Overall, this movie is one of the best I have seen in a long time. It is honest, wholesome, and it feels realistic even though it is somewhat absurd. The realism is so strong that the characters even reminded me of some of my own loved ones. Overall, I would definitely recommend this movie. God bless you, and stay safe.

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Paul L

@RT23973123 Jun 8

Took a little bit to get going but was worth it in the end. Was good!

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Louise D.

@FastGal Jun 8

Funny and endearing.

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Judah S.

@Judah3963 Jun 6

Little Miss Sunshine is nothing to behold. It’s unpleasant and uncomfortable family dynamic leaves you feeling empty. And its comedy held only a few chuckles.

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Peter S

@Petethebeat Jun 5

Love the movie, but how did they drive out of the gas station without pushing the van?

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Jonathan Dayton

Director

Valerie Faris

Director

Greg Kinnear

Richard

Steve Carell

Frank

Toni Collette

Sheryl

Alan Arkin

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Little Miss Sunshine: Trailer 1

2:26

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Synopsis

The Hoover family -- a man (Greg Kinnear), his wife (Toni Collette), an uncle (Steve Carell), a brother (Paul Dano) and a grandfather (Alan Arkin) -- puts the fun back in dysfunctional by piling into a VW bus and heading to California to support a daughter (Abigail Breslin) in her bid to win the Little Miss Sunshine Contest. The sanity of everyone involved is stretched to the limit as the group's quirks cause epic problems as they travel along their interstate route.

Director: Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris
Producer: Marc Turtletaub, David T. Friendly, Peter Saraf, Albert Berger, Ron Yerxa
Screenwriter: Michael Arndt
Distributor: Fox
Production Co: Big Beach, Bona Fide Productions
Rating: R (Language|Drug Content|Some Sex)
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 20, 2006, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Jul 26, 2006
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 2, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $59.9M
Runtime: 1h 42m
Sound Mix: Dolby