P.C. Shannon

I’m fascinated by movies that are structurally more like literature than cinema. SLC Punk is a good example: it’s highly non-linear yet easy to follow, and it reveals the protagonist’s inner thoughts (not with an annoying voiceover, but by cleverly breaking the fourth wall). Oscar-nominated Little Miss Sunshine similarly feels like a work of literature rather than one of film.

Movies are almost universally structured, linear affairs—three acts with a plot twist in the middle of act two. Little Miss Sunshine does employ that structure, but it’s an ensemble film with a strong cast whereas most films follow just one or two protagonists. The plot follows a family as they travel cross-country in a broken VW van so that the young daughter Olive can participate in the Little Miss Sunshine pageant. The characters are all very quirky and flawed, and I wasn’t sure I liked any of them at first (except for adorable little Olive). The trip acts as a metaphor—another literary device frequently absent in movies—for the characters’ personal growth and self-discovery. By the end, the family connects with each other and the audience. It’s very satisfying. It may not have won an Academy Award, but it gave me everything I wanted.

Highly recommended.