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A quirky little independent comedy with a good script and well-rounded characters, Little Miss Sunshine never quite attains 'must see' status. Nonetheless, it's an enjoyable film with some very entertaining scenarios and great acting from the ensemble. Steve Carell is especially good, playing a part completely unlike anything he's done before. The beginning of the film had an unexpectedly downbeat tone, but gradually more comedy began seeping into the film. The source of much of the comedy is Alan Arkin as the Grandpa character. In fact, the direction the script takes with that character ultimately leads to the funniest part of the film. The tone and style of comedy reminded me slightly of Sideways with less sex and nudity, another film that was extremely well reviewed on its release. I liked the film and never looked at my watch during its running time - a good sign - but I found it a bit too gentle and not quite funny enough. It didn't help that the trailer gave away many of the best bits, as usual.
The summary
Intermittently very funny and quite endearing, Little Miss Sunshine is an entertaining, well-acted film that is ultimately pretty forgettable, but it does have considerably more substance than most comedies. If I was feeling generous I'd add another star to the score.
