Feel-bad Comedy Part 2: Little Miss Sunshine

For better of worse, Singapore Dreaming has moved to California...



Little Miss Sunshine opens with a succinct introduction of yet another dysfunctional family. Pictured above, it's made up of some very distinct personalities. Conversations begin. Questions are asked. Accusations are hurled. Assumptions are made. Cursing is heard. They fight, alot, some with words, others without. That said, a lot of things are accomplished by dinner's end. Not only do we get to know who they are and what they are sitting on that dinner table for, we will soon learn when and how they will embark on a road trip, plus the reason why. Will they reveal themselves as more than what we have already seen? Are they gonna rally behind the hopes and dreams of those they love and cherish? Will there be mayhem or serenity? Can love conquer all? Is this movie worth all its troubles, if any? Though I have seen this movie, I can only answer for myself.

Amongst the uniformly decent ensemble, the always dignified Alan Arkin is the brightest spark as the foul mouthed slash big hearted patriarch. The rest of them look like they tried their best to pad their archetypical roles with the zest and heart exuded by Arkin. And try, they did, hence there's nothing much to complain about (yet). There also seems to be a concerted effort to weave a charming tale which aims to functionalise a dysfunctional family, to bring about some form of heartfelt closure, as these movies usually do. Which means I can't really dislike these kind of movies also (yet). However, the more I watch on, the more I feel the effort is unnaturally straining and the moodswingy plot is struggling for "a" closure. Make no mistake, everything do fall into place in the end, but whether they are in the right place or not, that is the arguable question.

To me, though Little Miss Sunshine is funnier, it gradually feels like a Wes Anderson movie. You know, dramedies made with a sardonically witty disposition, a penchant for understated ironies and proud namedropping of literary/ pop cultural references. It is "funnier" because sporadically, the film do break out of this mold, thanks largely to the naturally charming ensemble. This movie in parts boast of an explosive yet intuitively cohesive comic timing. But just when these brief moments had a chance to live and breathe, they die (Now that I think of it, this film resembles Todd Solondz pics a little too, but the big difference is that Todd knows how to "resurrect the dead", while LMS tries). In short, the balance is tilted. Little Miss Sunshine shows promise of providing potently moving entertainment, but the promise is squandered by a desire to appear more awkwardly feel-bad than is necessary.

Much as I admire them, these kinds of movies can never be my cuppa. I prefer my comedies broad and my dramas deeper. It's already hard to set one genre up properly for them to solicit my love, but to simultaneously tackle both satisfactorily would require compensating virtuousity this side of the best Buffy episodes (that is, deft blend of equal parts humour and pathos). I also prefer such movies more tightly paced and less "ashamed" of appearing generic, because "idiosyncratic" can oftentimes be a nicer word for many not-so-nice words.

Admittedly lured by its rave reviews, I walked into this "idiosyncratic" movie fully expecting chockful of laughs and some nice tugs of them heartstrings. Turns out, there is not enough to cheer about but too much to jeer for the noisy, preachy, and dimly lit Little Miss Sunshine. In fact, I find its bleak streak eclipsing whatever little sunshine peeping through. This certainly doesn't do well in brightening up my increasingly darkening frustrations. I actually found myself losing patience two-thirds through this movie (which is never a good sign), after you-know-what happened to you-know-who and then you-know-who else decided to do you-know-what else. At that point, I began to wonder, how much longer can I tolerate such unmitigated feel-bad comedies before I start walking out on them like I have been doing for most horror flicks?

This piece was previously posted in another forum and I was observed to be in praise of a critically ravaged RV but is mercilessly vitriolic towards the unanimously raved Little Miss Sunshine. To which I felt the need to present my personal opinion that RV is a classic in my book compared to LMS, because rising above RV's external mayhem lies its sincere core, a pure heart which does not shout out for exclusivity, it's just there, plain and simple. To me, the difference between the two films is glaring. Little Miss Sunshine's main thematic focus (whether they are executed well or not, that's subjective) is about familial dysfunctional fixations and the intentionally masochistic road towards reconciliation. RV, on the other hand, exemplifies the enduring responsibilities of father/manhood in increasingly underappreciating times, and the faith to convert the pain inflicted upon you, especially by your loved ones into something trancendentally Herzogian. That it is much funnier also does not hurt its chances of winning my approval.

In conclusion, I acknowledge that my exceedingly harsh words for Little Miss Sunshine may stem from my profound disappointment with its over-rated critical buzz and its grossly mis-marketed vibes, but I sure ain't 'bout to be non-violent, for I hate hate hate Little Miss Sunshine!! This road(kill) of a movie has murdered my mirth-seeking spirit and induced my urge to stare at the EXIT lighting. I want to erase memories of having seen one of the most irritating movies in recent experiences. In my mind, a deafening yell also surfaced, and it goes something like, "Bring on Talladega Nights already!!!" I swear I will go mad if I don't see a straight (in all sense of the word) comedy anytime soon. I so need my laugh fix, asap.