Directors: Jonothan Dayton and Valerie Faris
Writer: Michael Arndt
Released: January 2006
Starring: Greg Kinnear, Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Paul Dano, Abigail Breslin and Alan Arkin
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If you adored the humour of Juno, you will fall madly in love with this film! It was full of that dry, black humour where you don’t know if you should laugh or cry.
It has that ‘typical family’ quality where you can relate to every character because we all know somebody like them. Sort of.
Olive (Abigail Breslin) wants to compete in a beauty pageant, which is a good one-and-a-half day’s drive away. With an unpredictably suicidal uncle (Steve Carell) who can not be left by himself, the whole family decides to go.
You automatically adore Olive, who brings an innocence to the family who are full of ‘failures’. Her brother refuses to talk, her grandfather is a heroin addict, her uncle is suicidal, and her father is a failed life coach. Meanwhile, her mother is struggling to keep the family together.
Despite me making it sound like a total downer, it’s actually a beautifully triumphant film where everyone slowly makes peace with themselves and each other. I thoroughly enjoyed the adventures and internal conflict with a lot of deep and meaningful messages throughout the film.
A film that will make you laugh, cry, and reconsider your priorities in life.
Jodie’s rating: 8.5/10
NZ Film Freak 