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08/03/2006ReviewThe sun doesn't shine on delusion'Little Miss Sunshine' is sharp and wittyLos Angeles Times HOLLYWOOD — In "Little Miss Sunshine,'' an ordinary, middle-class family has erroneous views corrected by experience the hard way. Over the course of three harrowing days on a road trip, reluctantly embarked on so that their daughter may compete in a children's beauty pageant, the Hoovers come face to face with the cruel limits of their dreams, opportunities and possibilities. Having devised a nine-step motivational program called "Refuse to Lose,'' Richard Hoover (Greg Kinnear) dreams of Tony Robbins-esque success, but has so far only succeeded in burying his personality under a heap of irritating catch-phrases and driving his family crazy. Seven-year-old Olive (Abigail Breslin), who is chubby, awkward and unself-consciously weird, spends her time rehearsing her "Little Miss Sunshine'' talent routine. Uncle Frank (Steve Carell), the foremost Proust scholar in the United States, has been sent to stay with the Hoover family following a suicide attempt. Meanwhile, his sister Sheryl (Toni Collette), who is married to Richard, keeps the family afloat financially. The Hoovers find themselves deciding to travel to California together in their old VW bus. Before they've made it out of New Mexico, the clutch gives out, making it impossible for them to keep going without pushing the car, chasing it and hopping onboard like freight-hopping hobos as it barrels forward at full speed. "Little Miss Sunshine'' hilariously punctures the grotesque bubble of the competitive American spirit in which "winners'' are recognized by their rigorous ability to conform to the standards imposed by the market, and "losers'' include anyone who won't bow to its mighty will. It's rated R for language, some sex and drug content.
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