Little Miss Sunshine (2006) is a comedic drama that follows a dysfunctional family on a chaotic road trip from New Mexico to California in a beat-up Volkswagen Microbus so their young daughter can compete in the Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant.
Overall, it’s a fun film with plenty of ups and downs, making it feel relatable. The family is dysfunctional and faces personal struggles that lead to moments of chaos throughout the story, but the young daughter remains the most naive and optimistic, ultimately bringing the family together by the end.
The film won two Academy Awards in 2007 for Best Supporting Actor and Best Original Screenplay, while also receiving nominations for Best Picture and Best Supporting Actress.
Little Miss Sunshine (2006) Awards:
Academy Awards (79th Oscars) – 4 Nominations, 2 Wins
- Won: Best Original Screenplay – Michael Arndt
- Won: Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role – Alan Arkin
- Nominated: Best Picture
- Nominated: Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role – Abigail Breslin
Golden Globes (64th Golden Globes) – 2 Nominations, 0 Wins
- Nominated: Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
- Nominated: Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy – Toni Collette
British Academy Film Awards (60th BAFTAs) – 6 Nominations, 2 Wins
- Won: Best Original Screenplay – Michael Arndt
- Won: Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Alan Arkin
- Nomination: Best Film
- Nomination: Best Actress in a Supporting Role – Abigail Breslin
- Nomination: Best Actress in a Supporting Role – Toni Collette
- Nomination: Best Direction – Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris
