it is finally so absorbing because it plays like a lyrical road odyssey that’s also a detective story.

The first must-see film of the year.

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

Very interesting and entertaining movie. Without any special effects or other things to be attractive little miss sunshine will make you 2 hours of joy

When I heard Alan Arkin's name as winner of the Academy Award for Actor in a Supporting Role, I couldn't be more happier. Arkin was well-deserved of this ultimate honor. Arkin played Grandpa who encourages his granddaughter, Olive, in Albuquerque, New Mexico to travel to Long Beach, California to complete in the Little Miss Sunshine pageant. Too expensive to fly, they drive in a yellow unreliable van experiencing one adventure after another. It's an enjoyable film overall.

Little Miss Sunshine is a film directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris. I had heard of this film once from my friend who would go on praising the film. Yesterday night when I had nothing to see my sister suddenly decided to see this. After the film finished, I was just flabbergasted.Plot: A road trip is taken by the Hoover family from Albuquerque to Los Angeles to attend the Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant for their young daughter, Olive.Story and direction: The film has a very simple story but yet its heart is in the right place. Although the film revolves around only 6 characters, but yet they are so varied. I felt an instant connection with all the characters. The pace of the story is good also. Never do you feel a dull moment. It's comedy which is in bits and pieces also works. Kudos to Micheal Arndt for the wonderful writing. Considering the budget in which the film was made, the result is awesome. The troubles and ways to get out of those troubles with a smile is perfectly shown in this film. The film gives the perfect message that whatever happens, just never give up. The film had such authenticity in its feel which is what attracted me even more to the film. Performances: Greg Kinnear was great. Toni Collette was awesome too. I didn't know Steve Carell was such a talented actor. He nailed this role. Paul Dano was awesome too. Alan Arkin was exceelent as the foul mouthed elderly member. Abigail Breslin was good too. My heart went out for her. It was good to see Bryan Cranston and Dean Norris although they have roles in only one scene.Favorite Scene: The scene where Olive doubts about her position in the competition and then Edwin instills confidence in her was my favorite scene. This particular scene perfectly defined the main theme that the film was going for.Verdict: This 101 minute ride is worth the watch. This again goes to prove that with the right talent and the right script, the film can work wonders. It's a must watch for those who feel they haven't achieved anything in life.It gets a well deserved 10/10.

I just realized that three of my favorite films ever (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Broken Flowers and this one) come from a three-year period. And I've been watching movies since the 1960s. You would think 2004/2006 was a golden period in the history of movies -yet I feel there was a whole lot of crap too, these three were just jewels in the mud.LMS is, in many ways, like many other indie movies. Characters are dysfunctional, weird, losers -in other words, ordinary humans. There is a lot of comedy, some drama, and some variable material that can make you laugh or cry depending on your mood. Family members hate, ignore and sometimes tolerate each other. And then comes the unlikely, improbable, crazy happy ending -one that must have seemed so ridiculous in words, in a script, that I am amazed a crew of directors, actors and producers made it into a movie, no matter how indie minded they were.And yet it is believable in a way a group embrace and a chorus of tearful "I love you!" would not be. It is screw-it-all liberating, something that rarely ever comes out that neatly in real life. But it is heart warming as very few other movie endings, yet crazier than most. If the standard Hollywood recipe for losers-turned-winners is just silly, and the most common indie "it is what it is" finale is typically bleak though believable, this one broke the mold. In a good (great!) way.