Little Miss Sunshine
Short description
Little Miss Sunshine centers on the Hoovers, a family of misfits living in Albuquerque. When seven-year-old Olive is invited to compete in the Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant in California, the whole household piles into a worn-out Volkswagen van to get her there. The trip brings together a father trying to sell a self-help program, a mother holding the family together, her brother recovering after a suicide attempt, a teenage son who has taken a vow of silence, and a foul-mouthed grandfather. Over three days on the road, breakdowns and disappointments force them to rely on one another.
The 2006 comedy-drama was the first feature directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, who later made Ruby Sparks and Battle of the Sexes. Michael Arndt wrote the screenplay, and the cast includes Greg Kinnear, Toni Collette, Steve Carell, Paul Dano, Abigail Breslin and Alan Arkin. Made for about 8 million dollars, it earned roughly 101 million worldwide, a strong return for a modest production.
On IMDb it holds 7.8 out of 10 from around 555,000 votes, and on TMDB 7.7 out of 10 from more than 8,000 votes, showing a wide and largely favorable audience response. A critics' rating of 8 out of 10 from 216 reviews places it slightly above those audience scores.
What's left behind the scenes
- After Focus Features left the project, Mark Turtletaub bought the rights to the film and stated that he would finance it himself.
- Although Frank’s name is never heard in the film, it can be recognized by paying attention to a sign in the hospital room that reads – “Dr. Greenberg.”
- Due to constant funding issues, the film was in production for about five years.
- All contestants in the beauty pageant and their parents are the same in real life as well.
- Fox Searchlight purchased the distribution rights to the film for $10.5 million at the Sundance Film Festival in 2006.
- Duane’s full name is never mentioned throughout the course of the film.
- Russian chanson is playing in the auto repair shop where the Hoover family stops.
- Initially, Focus Features was supposed to finance the filming, but withdrew from the project in 2004.
- Abigail Breslin wore a special costume that made her look fuller.
- Five yellow Volkswagen vans were used during the filming.
- Mark Turtletaub purchased the film's screenplay for $250,000.
- Dwayne's t-shirt depicts Big Brother from the film '1984' (1956).
- The grandfather's name is Edwin.
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
