Little Miss Sunshine

Theatrical Release Date: 2006 07 26 (USA - Limited) / 2006 08 18 (USA)

UPC: 024543403319

Studio: 20th Century Fox

MPAA Rating: R   Contains:[Adult Situations, Adult Humor, Profanity, Sexual Situations, Drug Content]

Summary: When a pudgy, bespectacled seven-year-old, Olive (Abigail Breslin), voices her desire to take home the coveted Little Miss Sunshine crown at an upcoming beauty pageant, her wildly dysfunctional family sets out on an interstate road trip to ensure her a clear shot at realizing her dreams in former music video directorial team Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris' quirky feature debut, starring Greg Kinnear, Steve Carell, and Toni Collette. Despite early career success as an outspoken motivational speaker, family patriarch Richard (Kinnear) continues to cling to his "Refuse to Lose" philosophy, much to the chagrin of his increasingly annoyed spouse, Sheryl (Collette). Add into the mix a Nietzsche-reading teenage son (Paul Dano) who has taken a vow of silence until he finds his fate as a fighter pilot; a horny, heroin-happy grandfather (Alan Arkin) with a penchant for creative profanity; and a suicidal genius (Carell) and Proust scholar still reeling about losing both his male lover and his MacArthur Foundation genius grant -- and the stage is set for a road trip in which sanity is sure to take the back seat. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Category: Comedy Drama

Awards: Film Presented – Sundance Film Festival Film Presented – San Sebastián International Film Festival Best Picture – Independent Spirit Awards Best Director – Independent Spirit Awards Best Director – Independent Spirit Awards Best First Screenplay – Independent Spirit Awards Best Picture – National Board of Review Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion – Independent Spirit Awards Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion – Independent Spirit Awards Best New Filmmaker (Runner-up) – Boston Society of Film Critics Best New Filmmaker (Runner-up) – Boston Society of Film Critics Best Picture – American Film Institute Best Ensemble Cast – New York Film Critics Online Best Directorial Debut – New York Film Critics Online Best Directorial Debut – New York Film Critics Online Best Picture – New York Film Critics Online Best Screenplay (Runner-up) – Los Angeles Film Critics Association New Generation Award – Los Angeles Film Critics Association New Generation Award – Los Angeles Film Critics Association New Generation Award – Los Angeles Film Critics Association Best Original Screenplay – Washington D.C. Film Critics Association Best Ensemble Cast – Washington D.C. Film Critics Association Best First Film (Runner-up) – New York Film Critics Society Best First Film (Runner-up) – New York Film Critics Society Best Supporting Actor (Runner-up) – New York Film Critics Society Best Screenplay (Runner-up) – New York Film Critics Society Best Ensemble Acting – Broadcast Film Critics Association Best Screenplay – Broadcast Film Critics Association Best Young Actor – Broadcast Film Critics Association Best Young Actress – Broadcast Film Critics Association Best Comedy Movie – Broadcast Film Critics Association Best Picture – Broadcast Film Critics Association Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion – Broadcast Film Critics Association Best Picture - Musical or Comedy – null Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical – null Best First Feature – Toronto Film Critics Association Best First Feature – Toronto Film Critics Association Best Picture – London Film Critics Association Screenwriter of the Year – London Film Critics Association Best Original Screenplay – Chicago Film Critics Association Best Picture – Chicago Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actress – Chicago Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actress – Chicago Film Critics Association Most Promising Director – Chicago Film Critics Association Most Promising Director – Chicago Film Critics Association Best Picture - Musical or Comedy – Satellite Awards Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical – Satellite Awards Best Supporting Actress – Satellite Awards Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion – Satellite Awards Best Original Song – Satellite Awards Youth in Film Award – Las Vegas Film Critics Association Best Original Screenplay – Southeastern Film Critics Association Best Picture – Southeastern Film Critics Association Best Ensemble Acting – Phoenix Film Critics Association Best Original Screenplay – Phoenix Film Critics Association Best Female Youth Performer – Phoenix Film Critics Association Best Picture – Phoenix Film Critics Association Producer of the Year – Producers Guild of America Producer of the Year – Producers Guild of America Producer of the Year – Producers Guild of America Producer of the Year – Producers Guild of America Producer of the Year – Producers Guild of America Best Ensemble Acting – Screen Actors Guild Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion – Screen Actors Guild Best Supporting Actress – Screen Actors Guild Best First Film – Oklahoma Film Critics Circle Best First Film – Oklahoma Film Critics Circle Best Picture – Oklahoma Film Critics Circle Best Picture – Dallas/Fort Worth Film Critics Association Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion – National Society of Film Critics Best Original Screenplay – Kansas City Film Critics Association Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion – Online Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actress – Online Film Critics Association Best Original Screenplay – Online Film Critics Association Breakthrough Filmmaker – Online Film Critics Association Breakthrough Filmmaker – Online Film Critics Association Best Director – Directors Guild of America Best Director – Directors Guild of America Best Picture by a Woman – Women Film Critics Circle Best Young Actress – Women Film Critics Circle Best Original Screenplay – Writers Guild of America Best Supporting Actress – Iowa Film Critics Association Best Edited Comedy or Musical Feature – American Cinema Editors Guild Best Picture – British Academy of Film and Television Arts Best Director – British Academy of Film and Television Arts Best Director – British Academy of Film and Television Arts Best Original Screenplay – British Academy of Film and Television Arts Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion – British Academy of Film and Television Arts Best Supporting Actress – British Academy of Film and Television Arts Best Supporting Actress – British Academy of Film and Television Arts Best Picture – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Supporting Actress – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Original Screenplay – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Costumes in a Contemporary Film – Costume Guild Awards Best Picture – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Picture – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Supporting Actor – National Society of Film Critics Best Supporting Actor – Screen Actors Guild Best Supporting Actor – Satellite Awards Best Supporting Actor – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Supporting Actor – Independent Spirit Awards Best Supporting Actor – British Academy of Film and Television Arts Best Supporting Actor – Online Film Critics Association Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical – Hollywood Foreign Press Association Best Picture - Musical or Comedy – Hollywood Foreign Press Association Best Supporting Actor – Broadcast Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actor – Independent Spirit Awards

Features: 4 alternate endings with directors' commentary
Directors' commentary by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris
Screenwriter's commentary by Michael Arndt with directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris
Music video "Till the End of Time" performed by DeVotchKa from the Little Miss Sunshine soundtrack

Little Miss Sunshine

Format: Digital Video Disc (DVD)

Release Date: 12/19/2006

Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1 2.40:1, 1.33:1 Pre-1954 Standard

Audio: DD5.1 Dolby Digital 5.1, DDS Dolby Digital Surround

Runtime: 103 Minutes

Sides: 2

Number of Discs: 1

Language(s) English,Spanish

Subtitles: English,French,Spanish

Region: USA & territories, Canada

Chapters: Disc #1, Side A -- Little Miss Sunshine [P&S]
1. The Hoovers Plus One
2. Homecoming
3. A Nice Family Dinner
4. Winner!
5. The Voice of Experience
6. A la Mode
7. Damn Clutch
8. The Refuge of Losers
9. Gas Station Blues
10. Guts
11. Beauty Rest
12. Nine Steps Back
13. A Long Life
14. Never Give Up
15. Pretending to Be Normal
16. End of a Dream
17. Four Minutes Late
18. Final Touch-Ups
19. Our Lovely Contestants
20. Prime Suffering Years
21. Talent Galore
22. Kicking Ass
23. Incredible
24. End Titles
Disc #1, Side B -- Little Miss Sunshine [WS]
1. The Hoovers Plus One
2. Homecoming
3. A Nice Family Dinner
4. Winner!
5. The Voice of Experience
6. A la Mode
7. Damn Clutch
8. The Refuge of Losers
9. Gas Station Blues
10. Guts
11. Beauty Rest
12. Nine Steps Back
13. A Long Life
14. Never Give Up
15. Pretending to Be Normal
16. End of a Dream
17. Four Minutes Late
18. Final Touch-Ups
19. Our Lovely Contestants
20. Prime Suffering Years
21. Talent Galore
22. Kicking Ass
23. Incredible
24. End Titles

Perry Seibert

Michael Arndt's screenplay for the stellar comedy Little Miss Sunshine is tightly constructed, and full of the kinds of characters talented actors kill to portray. All of the characters and themes are economically but patiently set up in a funny 20-minute dinner sequence that opens the movie. Throughout the film, characters perform what seem to be throwaway actions that actually pay off later in the film. The fact that first-time directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris know when to keep the story moving and when to slow down for the first-rate character stuff helps make it one of the great debuts of the year. However, it is the actors who make Little Miss Sunshine one of the best films of 2006. These characters, from the suicidal Proust scholar to the heroin-addicted grandfather to the silent, sullen teenager to the failed motivational speaker (a comedy concept worthy of an award in and of itself), could all be played so grandly that the film would collapse. However, everybody stays on the same page emotionally, making them seem like a real family and like real individuals. About a third of the way into Little Miss Sunshine, Steve Carell and Alan Arkin play a simple scene in which Arkin's character makes a frank request that gets a laugh from Carell's character. The scene is unusual because very rarely does anyone actually laugh onscreen in a comedy. Carell's laugh feels utterly genuine and entirely in character, making the conversation one of the moments that best exemplifies the humanism and the humor in the thoroughly entertaining Little Miss Sunshine. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

Cast and Crew: Mychael Danna  Composer (Music Score) 
David T. Friendly  Producer 
Ron Yerxa  Producer 
Albert Berger  Producer 
Peter Saraf  Producer 
Jonathan Dayton  Director 
Michael Beugg  Executive Producer 
Marc Turtletaub  Producer 
Valerie Faris  Director 
Michael Arndt  Screenwriter 
Jeb Brody  Executive Producer 
Greg Kinnear  Actor 
Toni Collette  Actor 
Steve Carell  Actor 
Paul Dano  Actor 
Abigail Breslin  Actor 
Alan Arkin  Actor 
Marc Turtletaub  Actor 
Jill Talley  Actor 
Brenda Canela  Actor 
Julio Oscar Mechoso  Actor 
Chuck Loring  Actor 
Justin Shilton  Actor 
Gordon Thomson  Actor 
Steven Christopher Parker  Actor 
Bryan Cranston  Actor 
John Walcutt  Actor 
Paula Newsome  Actor 
Dean Norris  Actor 
Beth Grant  Actor 
Wallace Langham  Actor 
Lauren Shiohama  Actor 
Mary Lynn Rajskub  Actor 
Jerry Giles  Actor 
Geoff Meed  Actor 
Matt Winston  Actor 
Joan Scheckel  Actor 
Casandra Ashe  Actor 
Melvin Rodriguez  Actor 
Alexandria Alaman  Actor 
Brittany Baird  Actor 
Brenae Bandy  Actor 
Maliah Hudson  Actor 
Lindsey Jordan  Actor 
Annabelle Roberts  Actor 
Nicole Stoehr  Actor 
Alissa Anderegg  Actor 
Cambria Baird  Actor 
Kristen Holaas  Actor 
Destry Jacobs  Actor 
Shane Murphy  Actor 
Sydni Stevenson-Love  Actor 
Lauren Yee  Actor 

Country: USA