Little Miss Sunshine Belonging

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Rough Draft: Analysis of Little Miss Sunshine The critically acclaimed film, Little Miss Sunshine, directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Farris, written by Michael Arndt, follows a dysfunctional and loving family as they embark on a road trip from Albuquerque, New Mexico to Redondo Beach, California. Seven year old daughter Olive Hoover is an aspiring beauty queen, fifteen year old son Dwayne has taken a vow of silence until he joins the air force academy, grandpa is a heroin addict with crude language, Uncle Frank is a genius who attempted to commit suicide, mother Sheryl is the glue which attempts to hold the family together, and father Richard is an ironically unsuccessful motivational speaker. When the family goes on a trip to the Little…show more content…
The usage of the two songs each had a differing propose, and the sound of the yellow Volkswagen T2 van honking. Utilizing Scott D. Lipscomb and David E. Tolchinsky’s essay “The Role of Music Communications in Cinema” discus each specific term for the movie. For example, when Olive does her risqué dance to Super Freak by Rick James it is narrative cueing. “This technique is used when the music give referential cues, which establish the stetting and character” (Lipscomb 13). Furthermore the song, How it Ends by Devotchka is the final piece as the Hoovers push their van to get it to start and drive back home. This song is categorized as a simplifier of emotion “Soundtrack music sets specific moods and emphasizes particular emotions suggested in the narrative… it is a signifier for emotion itself” (13). The Hovers are able to reflect on their bonding time together. As the audience also hears and feels a sense of accomplishment and content from the final song. Another sound would be the beeping of the car horn. Due to car problems, the microbus would not stop the shrill honking. It embodies the suspension, tension, and comic relief the family goes throughout. For example, as they are driving down the highway and running late, the horn continuously beeps and adds tension and anger to the situation. In the end, however, the horn symbolizes exhilaration and content the family felt as they become…show more content…
In the video, Little Miss Sunshine: Shooting script, Michael Arndt goes in depth about writing the book and assisting with the movie. During a segment, Arndt describes how he was outraged by Arnold Schwarzenegger’s discussion with high school students. Schwarzenegger stated that ‘if there is one thing in this world I hate its losers and I despise them.’ After quoting Schwarzenegger, Arndt remarks there is something so wrong with demeaning and insulting someone as a loser. Therefore, he explains that Little Miss Sunshine is attacking that concept, while promoting the theme of having fun is more important than winning. Furthermore, the theme is also emphasized in the film. At the beginning of the film, Richard is obsessed with the idea of winning. He believed that if the individual is not going to win, than they should not even try. Richard lived by this moto and encouraged his family to do so as well. However, during the beauty pageant he discovers that having fun and being true to one’s self is more important. This is shown in the film when Olive begins her risqué dance routine. The audience becomes upset and begins to leave. Then, pageant director insists that Richard takes Olive off the stage, while she is having the time of her life mid-routine. Richard looks hesitant and considers taking her off the stage, thus reinforcing his previous values. However, rather
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