Viewed in
2007
Premise
A quirky, dysfunctional family takes a road trip so the daughter can compete in a pageant.
Who should watch
Those who like quirky movies.
Thoughts
It's funny and charming, but not great. People give this more credit because of its success story than they should. Also, I felt the climax and ending just fell flat. And yes, my screenwriter persona is jealous/happy that Michael Arndt succeeded.
The strength is in the likable, quirky characters. Olive, the daughter is adorable of course. My favorite is Dwayne, the teenage brother who has taken a vow of silence until he has been accepted into fighter pilot school.
What I would change
Given the Best Supporting Actor performance to Eddie Murphy instead of Alan Arkin.
