Little Miss Sunshine

[clerkguy23]

it had some pretty garden statey moments but all in all, it was enjoyable. nothing wonderful, but most of the acting was dead on and fun to watch. it's a shame that so much of the film's strongest material is used in the trailer because it ruined a lot of what would have been great moments. and the music was annoying in the same way the music was annoying in garden state--im tired of trendy indie songs motivating entire soundtracks. pretty weak if you ask me.

another relatively overrated summer movie.

[meatball]

A good movie, overall. I really don't think it can be compared to Garden State at all. When I think of the Braff vehicle, I think of an audio visual pageantry which this didn't even come close to. It was totally about the acting. As for the 'strong material' used in the trailer, those were just catchy moments completely out of context. The strong material here is the entire story seen in context.  As far as being overrated, I haven't heard a single thing about this movie. And while this does come out in the summer and has the word sunshine in it's title, I wouldn't peg this a 'summer movie',

[Pubrick]

A good movie, overall. I really don't think it can be compared to Garden State at all. When I think of the Braff vehicle, I think of an audio visual pageantry which this didn't even come close to. It was totally about the acting. As for the 'strong material' used in the trailer, those were just catchy moments completely out of context. The strong material here is the entire story seen in context.  As far as being overrated, I haven't heard a single thing about this movie. And while this does come out in the summer and has the word sunshine in it's title, I wouldn't peg this a 'summer movie',

hey meatball, do you realise we can just go to your profile and manually change the number on your post count to ONE or even ZERO?? if staying under 1000 is that important to you, jesus christ.

you're the crazy postcount-obsessed ppl GT was talking about.

[clerkguy23]

A good movie, overall. I really don't think it can be compared to Garden State at all. When I think of the Braff vehicle, I think of an audio visual pageantry which this didn't even come close to. It was totally about the acting. As for the 'strong material' used in the trailer, those were just catchy moments completely out of context. The strong material here is the entire story seen in context.  As far as being overrated, I haven't heard a single thing about this movie. And while this does come out in the summer and has the word sunshine in it's title, I wouldn't peg this a 'summer movie',

The reason it was good was because of the acting, but the audio/visual part of the film definitely brought me back to Garden State territory. I mean, Sufjan Stevens is the music used whenever something important happens, which is pretty lame and Zach Braffy if you ask me. And how can you say it wasn't overrated? Just because you havent heard a single thing about the movie doesn't mean it's not getting great press everywhere. It was the biggest distribution deal in Sundance history. So if that isn't enough to make me think it's better than it really is, I don't know what is.

And, yeah, it isn't Superman but that doesn't disqualify it as a summer movie. It's summer. And this movie is kind of a let down. I'd say that qualifies it as an overrated summer movie.

This Village Voice review--although somewhat harsh--pretty much sums it up for me:

http://www.villagevoice.com/film/0630,ridley,73965,20.html

[RegularKarate]

Clerkguy's shooting blind when he compares this to Garden State... maybe he doesn't get what makes Garden State Garden State.

I'm not going to claim this is the best movie ever made, but I haven't heard anyone else do that either. 
It was pretty damn entertaining though.

Why it's not Garden State:  1.The soundtrack has no "songs" in it (with the exception of one scene, but it's practical in that scene)... it has the instrumental bits of a couple Sufjan Stevens songs, but nothing is ever sang, it's hardly a movie made to support a soundtrack.  Mostly because the soundtrack isn't even that noticible.
2. The movie has some "Indie Quirk" to it, but it's not overbearing like GS... it's not a series of quirky moments and excuses to use the director's favorite songs and be "indie".
3. It's not the silly whispy fluff a teenager would write.
4. It's not guided by cute camera tricks and silly smiles.

And the best moments are certainly not in the trailer.  The best moments are the reaction shots... that's the strongest part of the movie... all the acting is really great, especially when it comes to reactions... the hardest I laughed throughout the whole thing was when the characters were reacting.

Anyway.... I'll see it again... I don't think I would buy it, but I'll see it again.

[pete]

that's 'cause half the soundtrack is by devotchka!

[SiliasRuby]

And the best moments are certainly not in the trailer.  The best moments are the reaction shots... that's the strongest part of the movie... all the acting is really great, especially when it comes to reactions... the hardest I laughed throughout the whole thing was when the characters were reacting.

Great Great Flick. Carrell is a total knockout.... Jeez, I'm starting to sound like Siegal. I will be buying this when it comes out.

[modage]

i actually saw this again today because my mom wanted to see it really bad for some reason so i went.  it's definitely indie 101, so it would be really easy to hate.  but i still like it because its really entertaining and funny, if you can get past its (indie) 'quirkiness'

[pete]

I just came outta it.  I loved it.  I thought it was gonna be a bit more "indie" than what I saw, which was good.  the good acting elevated the characters' quirks and all of them were actually just funny, instead of just grins.  I laughed pretty hard and I shedded a few tears when the actors broke down.  the characters seem to be actually struggling as opposed to the typical depresssing traits, it was a lot easier to root for them, and it didn't have the smugness of all the recent indie films.

[noyes]

if by "indie 101" and "indie" you guys mean garden statesque, then that sucks.
but since when did the word "indie" in movie terms become a bad thing?

oh that's right, when Garden State came out..

[w/o horse]

After the movie I had a conversation with my friend about how I'll have trouble talking about this film because here is a film that despite its flaws touched me in a very real well.  If sometimes a rating scale must be adjusted following a spectacular movie, I wish here that I could restore the power of what has become film critic rhetoric* when I say that for me the movie was transcendent, it was cathartic, inspiring, heart warming, and I'll be damned if it wasn't my magical experience.

Which is a testimony to the power of the personal film.  And the way in which film can surmount advertising and demographics and target audience.  I went into the theater to see what the Smashing Pumpkins video directors were up to and I found a movie that touched directly into all my fears and insecurities.  And I laughed and I cried and the film bonded to me.  By the end of the film, without spoiling, I was right there with them.

I do see the Indie 101 qualities, and there was some glibness, etc, whatever.  I'd like to pull the 'Fuck those minor details' card for this one.  I realize that my experience doesn't condition the film as amazing perspective exempted.  This is in no way impartial.

I've made my point right.  I loved the movie but it shouldn't increase your expectations.  I enjoyed it like a great night with a friend, like a memorable out of state trip, like an aching one night stand.


*Including of course my Where the Truth Lies posts.  I assure the board that I was entirely sober for the viewing and this subsequent post.

Oh and also, technically speaking, things I really liked:

Con Spoilers.

- The death of the most confident, careless, and comic character.
- The van metaphor and the ensuing hilarity.
- The dumpy little girl and her relationship with her grandfather, the final beauty performance.
- Seeing the person you're afraid to see but most need release from at an awkward moment that takes away any levity you've anticipated and built up that moment towards being.
-  The catastrophe of the final performance and the way that it is pathetically but beautifully saved by the family members.
-  The grandfather was really funny.

[JG]

Am I missing something?

Spoilers

I have never been in such a receptive crowd to a movie I had such a lukewarm response to.  Everyone was laughing and applauding, yet i felt absolutely nothing.  i really wanted to, but i can count the amount of times i laughed on one hand.  which i suppose is okay, i often could recognize the funniness, but something prevented me from responding to it.  and the movie works as a fine drama, but i still didn't love it like you guys. 

things i liked: well, carrell was friggin brilliant.   

and the music.  i don't see how its a typical indie film in its use of music.  if theres one time where a movie can get away with music to transition scenes its a road movie, unlike garden state which just threw 30 seconds of braff's favorite songs between each scene where they never fit. 

also, i admire the decision to allow the grandfather to die at such an early point in the movie.  i kept expecting the twist where we find out that they got names mixed up and it wasn't really the grandfather who died, but they handled that scene and the subsequent scenes quite well, a perfect balance of humor and sentimentality. 

what really, really got me was the last scene.   the movie successfully avoided any genre conventions up until this point, especially when it could have easily caved in at the hospital, but then it just sorta gives up at the end.  i'd be lying to you if i didn't smile during the whole rick james sequence, but it was just so damn easy.   not to mention i saw it coming from a mile away.  it got progressively painful as they all came up on the stage and started dancing.  when i'm with friends one sure way to get a laugh is make a fool of yourself dancing, and thats the same thing here, same as in napoleon dynamite.  they had avoided the general indie problem of compromising a character's integrity for a laugh, and you could argue they don't necesarily do that here, but you'd be lying to yourself if you didn't agree that it was an easy way out.  a quick resolve.  this movie's problem isn't its "indie" qualities, but its hollywood qualities. 

and yes, i know star ratings are stupid, but i'm gonna give one anyways.    sometimes they're a nice way to conclude what could have otherwise been a negative or positive review.   i liked the movie, i did, i was just hoping for more. 

2.5 out of 4. 

[w/o horse]

Am I missing something?

what really, really got me was the last scene.   the movie successfully avoided any genre conventions up until this point, especially when it could have easily caved in at the hospital, but then it just sorta gives up at the end.  i'd be lying to you if i didn't smile during the whole rick james sequence, but it was just so damn easy.   not to mention i saw it coming from a mile away.  it got progressively painful as they all came up on the stage and started dancing.  when i'm with friends one sure way to get a laugh is make a fool of yourself dancing, and thats the same thing here, same as in napoleon dynamite.  they had avoided the general indie problem of compromising a character's integrity for a laugh, and you could argue they don't necesarily do that here, but you'd be lying to yourself if you didn't agree that it was an easy way out.  a quick resolve.  this movie's problem isn't its "indie" qualities, but its hollywood qualities. 

I feel like the integrity of the whole family was salvaged by the dance sequence.  That seeing it coming isn't the point, I mean, that's obvious, though if your case is that you like your films to take you to unexpected places, I would say that I value a film which sticks to a story and delivers on all sides.  That the story needn't be compromised to surprise the audience.  It was a highly plausible ending, but an easy out or a resolve it wasn't; not a single thing was resolved at all.  All the problems the characters brought into the story they leave with - still bankrupcy looms, still suicide threatens, how will the son fly, will the young girl grow fat, etc.

Which is why the ending affected me so.  Because it wasn't about the silly dance, though the dance was silly, and it wasn't about resolving character conflict, and it wasn't about fixing things, it was coming together at an absurd time, it was shedding all the pretenses and all the pain and all the things of life by simply going up on a stage in front of a group of people you don't give a fuck about and giving them the message that they cannot control your imperfections that they cannot suppress your personality and that they are the ones who compromise, while this family goes down in dancing flames together.

Which is why the end was for me beautiful and poignant.  If the film before that had lacked substance and lacked character the end would have been the easy non sequitur joke, but it had done its job, and the reveling was ours to have.

[noyes]

"I'm tired.. You know how tired I am? If a woman was begging me to have sex with her right now, I wouldn't be able to. That's how tired I am."

fuckin' classic.
really enjoyed this movie.

[Gamblour.]

Jesus, I feel like I saw a different movie than everyone else. Fuck this indie quirky talk bullshit. This movie is better than residing in some sort of carved out niche for what are really just damn good movies made by damn good filmmakers.

This was such a sweet (as in loveable, cuddly) film I've ever seen. I described it as if a movie could give you the biggest, warmest hug ever, this would be it. There was so much love in the family, despite the arguing and mishaps. They perservered. The idea of winners and losers was interesting and pretty self-reflexive in that we're watching a film about veritable losers, but really what does that even mean? The dolled up Jean-Bonet girls have a really sad, superficial lifestyle. What does "winning" actually entail, according to the nine steps? Is it success or just the idea of achieving goals or just being not bankrupt? I think the movie's obviously just about accepting people without layers of paint on their face, forgetting about pageantry and pomp, and just dancing to make the daughter feel good about herself.

Carrell was subdued and very good, but really Paul Dano was fucking brilliant. I cried when he wrote the instructional note to Olive. I can't WAIT to see him in There Will Be Blood.