Little Miss Sunshine, a 2006 film, tells the story of a dysfunctional family embarking on a chaotic road trip. The family consists of a mother, father, son from a previous relationship, daughter, uncle, and grandfather. This critically acclaimed movie received two Oscars: One for Alan Arkin’s outstanding supporting role and another for Best Writing with its original screenplay. Abigail Breslin was also recognized with a nomination for her portrayal of Olive. Furthermore, Little Miss Sunshine was among the nominees for Best Motion Picture of the Year.
The film received over 40 nominations and awards. The Hoovers, a peculiar family, bring humor to their dysfunctional dynamic. Alan Arkin’s portrayal of Grandpa Hoover depicts him as a heroin addict, pornography enthusiast, and someone who has been evicted from a nursing home. He has a vocabulary that is filled with colorful language and obscenities. Working on a dance routine for a beauty pageant, Grandpa is assisting his granddaughter Olive. He advises his step-grandson to engage in numerous sexual encounters with young girls, emphasizing that being underage he won’t face adult charges.
Despite being dead and wrapped in a sheet in the VW bus, Grandpa Hoover manages to tell Olive that she is beautiful even when she feels insecure. This differs from the usual compliments she receives about her brain and personality, resulting in a touching and sweet moment.
In the meantime, Greg Kinnear portrays Richard Hoover as a motivational speaker promoting his nine steps to success. Throughout the movie, he stresses that winners never give up and emphasizes the existence of winners and losers in the world. Currently, Richard is striving to connect with someone who can help him spread his ideas through a book.
Richard’s behavior towards his stepson Dwayne shifts between surprisingly supportive of his goal-setting dedication and displaying cruelty by telling Olive that beauty queens should not indulge in ice cream.
Sheryl, Olive’s mother, strives to maintain happiness for everyone while valuing honesty. However, she finds herself caught in conflicts among other family members.
Financial issues strain Sheryl’s relationship with Richard, adding to her sense of responsibility for taking care of everyone.
Frank, who is Sheryl’s brother, recently left a hospital after attempting suicide. He was devastated by a breakup, lost his job, and saw an award given to his ex-partner’s new boyfriend. He always proclaims himself as the foremost expert on Proust. Dwayne, Sheryl’s teenage son, has taken a vow of silence until he gets accepted into the Air Force Academy to pursue his dream of becoming a pilot. He communicates with a notepad and pen and even wrote “Welcome to Hell” for Uncle Frank. Moreover, he reads Nietzsche and holds contempt for humanity in general.
Olive is the central figure who strengthens familial bonds. While visiting her aunt, Olive participated in a beauty contest, coming in second place. However, when the winner becomes unable to compete in the finals, Olive and her family receive a call, and they decide to travel to California for her to take part. In preparation for the pageant, Olive and her Grandpa collaborate on a dancing routine that, although completely inappropriate, induces laughter. Olive possesses an unconditional love and acceptance for everyone around her, greatly endearing her to her family. Meanwhile, in the analyzed scene, Dwayne experiences a realization and acceptance of being colorblind, thus acknowledging that his dream of becoming a pilot cannot materialize.
He has broken his vow of silence by screaming obscenities while fleeing from the VW bus. Richard stopped on the side of the road, and the bus was parked on the shoulder. Sheryl had approached him, but he responded by shouting “Divorced, Bankrupt, Suicide” while pointing at the adults. They were trailing behind because Grandpa had passed away and they had covertly transported his body from the hospital (he was covered in a sheet in the trunk). Olive had to be at the pageant by 3pm, so they had to depart immediately to meet the deadline.
Olive is going down the hill to speak with Dwayne in this particular scene. Included below are the fifteen elements that make up a Mise en scene. The dominant element in this scene is Dwayne, despite Olive being positioned in the center and her red shirt standing out. Dwayne is dominant as he appears clear and closer to the camera. His depiction embodies dejection, and his placement at the lower part of the frame conveys a sense of powerlessness. The lighting in this scene is natural, with bright sunlight causing Dwayne’s shadow to be the only one present. The shot of Dwayne is a medium shot, captured from a personal proximity.
One gets the feeling that they could reach out and give Dwayne a comforting pat on the back or pull him in for a much-needed hug, though he is resisting. The rest of the group, including Olive, is shown in a distant shot. However, Olive is approaching Dwayne and is just about to enter his personal space to provide him with the hug he needs. Sometimes, silence is the best response. Despite being the only one who had something to lose from the delay, Olive chooses to offer her support and understanding to her devastated older brother. The ground, with its combination of brown dirt and hay, provides a nice contrast against the blue sky adorned with wisps of white clouds.
The VW bus’s yellow color captures attention. In the empty field, Olive’s shirt stands out with its red hue. Dwayne’s jet black hair is highlighted by wisps of clouds, making it stand out even more against the blue sky to the right of the bus. The photo was taken with a wide angle lens and the foreground (Dwayne) is in sharper focus, with no apparent filter used. The film used was standard slow stock. The main contrasts in the photo are the yellow bus and Olive’s red shirt. The overall atmosphere of the space is stark and barren, with even the grass appearing dead – symbolizing Dwayne’s shattered dream of flying.
Despite appearing to be isolated in a large open area, the family is actually located on the side of a heavily trafficked multi-lane highway. As the camera pans out when the family departs, one can see nearby homes and recognize that this location is distinct from its surroundings. The presence of a hill creates the illusion that the other family members are further away than they actually are, and the sparse, dry, and dying landscape accurately represents Dwayne’s situation. In terms of composition, Dwayne is positioned alone in the lower corner, emphasizing his powerlessness, while the rest of the family is situated on a hill overlooking him.
The illusion of distance is created, making the two distinct groups seem further apart than they really are. Olive acts as a bridge between the two groups, connecting everyone in the family. The setting is an open space that appears much larger and more isolated than it actually is. Dwayne’s position closer to the camera suggests a feeling of being trapped in the vast open space. Despite no evident reason for his distress within the frame, it is clear that something outside of the frame is causing it.
The framing of the shot is tighter on Dwayne compared to the other family members, who are framed more loosely. Olive is positioned between the two groups and is the only one in motion. In terms of depth, there are two planes – Dwayne in the foreground and the parents and uncle in the background. Olive serves as the link between these two groups, tasked with retrieving Dwayne and bringing him back into the family. Notably, Dwayne is portrayed as powerless as he is positioned in the bottom corner of the frame.
Richard, Sheryl, and Frank are positioned above Dwayne without exerting dominance. Although they stand closely together, they lack any connection. Regarding staging, none of the characters acknowledge the camera and appear unaware of its existence. In terms of character proximity, Dwayne stands apart while Olive moves towards him. Sheryl faces away from Richard and Frank and gazes into the distance. Richard looks in the opposite direction, away from both Sheryl and Frank.
Frank is positioned between the two and seems uneasy, unlike Olive’s parents who are not paying attention to her. Dwayne strongly desires to be separate from his family and distant from them. He has physically distanced himself from them, just as he hoped to do through flying. Little Miss Sunshine is a highly praised movie that struck a chord with many viewers. The situations were absurd; my personal favorite was when the family had to go back to retrieve Olive, who was left behind, and they couldn’t slow down due to the bus’s clutch problem.
Olive is seen running next to the bus while it speeds through a gas station parking lot. Throughout the movie, one cannot help but feel relieved that they do not belong to the Hoover family. However, as the movie comes to a close, one starts to wish their own family was more like the Hoovers.
Works Cited:
Giannetti, Louis. Understanding Movies Eleventh Edition. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2008.
Little Miss Sunshine. Dir. Jonathon Dayton, Valerie Faris. Perf. Greg Kinnear, Steve Carrell and Toni Collette. DVD. 20th Century Fox, 2006.
