"Little Miss Sunshine" (2006), directed by Jonathan Davis and Valerie Faris, emerges as a cinematic gem that illuminates the complexities of chasing self-realization (as the late philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche would put it) with a generous sprinkling of humor and warmth. Set against the backdrop of a cross-country journey, the movie introduces us to the Hoover family as they embark on an oftentimes heartbreaking road trip, interwoven with hilarious dialogue. When their young daughter Olive qualifies for the “Little Miss Sunshine” beauty pageant, the Hoovers find themselves confronting personal struggles, rivalries, and an assortment of offbeat encounters. With a remarkable ensemble cast and a heartfelt narrative, the film unveils the transformative power of unconditional love, resilience, and the pursuit of dreams against all odds. "Little Miss Sunshine" explores the intricacies of what it means to “win,” the word nestled at the very heart of the film's messaging, leaving audiences with a renewed appreciation for the unpredictable yet beautiful tapestry of life.

The Hoover family is a dysfunctional unit composed of a bankrupt perfectionist father, a mother strives to maintain unity, a completely unfiltered grandfather, an uncle who recently survived from a suicide attempt, a philosophical older brother, and Olive, a young, little girl with big dreams. While the movie explores a variety of themes from family to societal expectations, an underlying theme throughout the movie is the subject of philosophy. Dwayne Hoover, Olive’s older brother, spends the entire movie grappling to understand the late philosopher Nietzsche’s wise advice that “those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.” As viewers examining the lives of the Hoover family, it is easy to understand how Nietzche’s commentary resonates with the struggles of each character within their own respective worlds. Despite their incompatibility, the family is compelled to work together and understand each other’s troubles in order to support Olive’s journey to successfully participate in the pageant.

Throughout the film, the director delineates a striking contrast between the atmosphere and the content, effectively illustrating the inherent contradictions of life. Each family member contradicts one another, allowing the film to encompass both somber and joyful perspectives on life. As each of them begin to self-actualize, they come to realize that out of the lot of them, Olive is the happiest through her optimistic view of the more solemn matters of life. Though this is most likely because Olive is a child who doesn’t fully comprehend all of the depressing events that occur on this one short road trip, her effect on the movie is undeniable. Olive’s pure bliss and wide smile transform the otherwise sad events of the movie into a positive ending, as her colorful view on life spreads to influence the other characters’ attitudes as well. Her efforts in becoming a pageant queen, despite not having the appearance of a pre-molded pageant doll, inspires the rest of her family (and the film’s audiences) to chase their own ambitions, emphasizing that the journey of it all may turn out to be more fulfilling than the success at its end.

While “Little Miss Sunshine” isn’t directly about summer, Olive’s bright aura and cheery smile makes the audience feel as if it’s being enveloped in sunlight. The movie starts out with the uncle’s depression, the brother’s vow of silence, and the father’s business failure polarizing them all, however, these issues eventually unite them when they all refuse to see Olive give up on her dreams. “Little Miss Sunshine” manages to tackle not-so-cheerful themes of dysfunctionality, depression, and even death in a way that doesn’t ignore those issues, but perceives them through a lens of greater acceptance.