Dreams of Stardom (Hollywood SI)

"This is so good!" Roger Ebert said excitedly to his wife, the thrill of finally watching a film he had high hopes for evident in his voice. "Can't wait to see the rest of it."

His enthusiasm was so focused on the movie that he didn't even notice his wife's reaction to his words. It had been a while since he had seen a truly great film that wasn't a rewatch.

The hollow eyes of Steve Carell on the screen pulled Roger back into the story. Carell, a comedic genius known for making audiences laugh in [The Office] and [The 40-Year-Old Virgin], conveyed a deep sadness in [Little Miss Sunshine].

Sheryl (Toni Collette) drove Frank (Steve Carell) home, where he was staying with Dwayne (Troy Armitage). The audience got a clear sense of Dwayne's personality as soon as his room was shown. Lying on his bed and reading a book about Nietzsche, he didn't bother responding when Sheryl knocked on the door. Moody and detached, he simply rolled his eyes in the background when Sheryl announced they had a "talk" about Frank. The subtle reaction made it clear that "talking" was Sheryl's domain, not his.

As the story unfolded, each character's quirks became increasingly apparent. Grandpa (Alan Arkin) was a foul-mouthed, short-tempered heroin addict who'd been kicked out of his retirement home. Richard (Greg Kinnear) struggled with the stress of securing a book deal, and Dwayne's vow of silence, taken to fulfill his dream of becoming a fighter pilot, added an additional layer of tension.

When Frank asked Dwayne who he spent time with, the teenager responded by scribbling on his notepad: "I hate EVERYONE!"

"What about your family?" Frank pressed.

Dwayne gave him a withering look before underlining the word "EVERYONE" twice, making it abundantly clear his family was included in that declaration.

Then came a scene that was as poignant as it was humorous. Little Olive (Abigail Breslin) innocently asked Frank why he tried to kill himself.

"I don't think that's an appropriate conversation for a seven-year-old!" Richard snapped.

"Well, she's gonna find out anyway!" Sheryl shot back.

Frank finally revealed his reason: "I tried to kill myself because I fell in love with a grad student of mine who didn't love me back. I was very much in love with him."

"Him? You fell in love with a boy? That's silly," Olive said, her innocent tone highlighting her childlike perspective. It was a statement no adult could make without seeming homophobic.

Roger found himself especially captivated by Olive's character. Her pure, unfiltered way of speaking had a charm that was impossible to resist.

"Olive," Richard interjected, his tone firm. "The important thing to understand here is that Uncle Frank gave up on himself. He made foolish choices by giving up on himself, which is something winners never do."

"Man, this guy is an asshole," someone called out in the theater, eliciting a round of chuckles from the audience. The truth behind that statement was hard to deny.

Richard's unrealistic expectations for his seven-year-old daughter were clearly a parenting misstep. Roger didn't have children himself, but even he could see how such pressure might damage a child's mental health as they grew up.

In the next scene, the family received a voicemail informing them that Olive had qualified for the "Little Miss Sunshine" beauty pageant, to be held in Redondo Beach, California, in two days. Since the family lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico, this meant a long road trip ahead.

Olive couldn't contain her excitement. She screamed in delight and immediately began packing her belongings. While the little girl's enthusiasm was contagious, it sparked an argument between Sheryl and Richard. Richard wanted to save money for his business venture, while Sheryl was determined to take her daughter to the competition. Their heated discussion looked like it might escalate, but thankfully, Richard relented and agreed to drive the family to California in their old yellow minibus.

Grandpa insisted on joining since he had been the one teaching Olive her dance moves, while Frank needed to come along because he was on suicide watch. Dwayne initially refused to go but reluctantly agreed after Sheryl promised him permission to attend flight school. Leaving him home alone simply wasn't an option.

And so, the family set off from Albuquerque toward California.

On the road, Grandpa decided to share some hilariously terrible advice with Dwayne about his sex life, causing uproarious laughter throughout the theater. Alan Arkin's delivery was flawless, and he easily stole every scene he was in.

Troy Armitage, usually the center of attention in any film he starred in, had a more subdued role in [Little Miss Sunshine]. The true scene stealers were Arkin and Abigail Breslin, whose performances as Grandpa and Olive captivated the audience. Despite Dwayne's vow of silence, Troy's nuanced portrayal of the moody teenager stood out. His subtle expressions and body language left Roger in awe. Still, Roger couldn't help but think that Academy Award voters might overlook Troy's understated performance in favor of Arkin's showier role.

During a stop at a restaurant, Richard once again showcased his insensitivity by making Olive self-conscious about her weight. The discomfort of the scene was quiet obvious to the viewers, making them dislike RIchard even more.

When the family returned to their minibus, it wouldn't start. The clutch was shot, leaving them no choice but to push-start the vehicle. What followed was a hilarious sequence of the entire family pushing the minibus while lively western music played in the background, drawing roars of laughter from the audience.

Later, Richard received a phone call about his book deal, only to face disappointing news. Meanwhile, Frank stopped at a gas station to buy some porn magazines for Grandpa and unexpectedly ran into his ex-lover, adding another layer of drama to the family's less than perfect adventure.

As the family resumed their journey, a tender father-son moment unfolded between Grandpa and Richard. In an uncharacteristically gentle tone, Grandpa assured his son that everything would be alright. "Even if you don't win, at least you tried," he said. But Richard dismissed the sentiment—it went against his very philosophy about winners and losers. By his own logic, he was now a loser, not a winner.

That night, the family stopped at a motel. Sheryl and Richard, who shared a room, ended up in another heated argument, this time over their financial struggles. Meanwhile, Frank and Dwayne took the room beside the couple, with Dwayne silently eavesdropping on the argument from a distance.

Still determined not to give up, Richard decided to take matters into his own hands. He planned to drive to Scottsdale to meet the investor for his project, abandoning the family's broken-down car in favor of a rented scooter. Unfortunately, even that turned out to be a bust when the investor still wasn't interested, leaving Richard more dejected than before.

In a quieter moment, Grandpa and Olive shared their room, and Olive confided her insecurities to her grandfather. She admitted feeling like she wasn't good enough because of her father's high expectations. Grandpa, eager to enjoy his nightly fix, took a moment to reassure her.

"A real loser is somebody who is so afraid of not winning that they don't even try," he said emphatically.

Roger couldn't help but feel that this was the core message of the film. Whatever twists and turns lay ahead, it was clear the filmmakers were emphasizing this idea from the start.

The next morning, tragedy struck. Olive innocently announced, "Mom, Dad, Grandpa won't wake up."

The theater fell silent. Everyone immediately understood the gravity of the situation—a heroin addict not waking up in the morning could only mean one thing. The family rushed Grandpa to the hospital, but it was too late. Olive's hopes of becoming Little Miss Sunshine seemed to shatter under the weight of the tragedy.

As Sheryl gently explained the situation to Olive, Richard suddenly interrupted with a defiant, "No!" His outburst shocked everyone, but he quickly revealed his plan: they would stage a body heist. They couldn't have left Grandpa in the hospital or they'd be stuck dealing with complex legalities and the logistics of holding a funeral in California instead of Albuquerque.

What followed was a hilariously chaotic scene. The entire family worked together to smuggle Grandpa's body out of the hospital through a window. The theater erupted in laughter as they somehow managed to pull it off.

Back on the road, the family encountered another issue: the horn on their old VW minibus got stuck, blaring nonstop. This attracted the attention of a policeman who pulled them over.

In a comedic twist, the officer insisted on searching the trunk. Just as the tension peaked, he became distracted by the stack of porn magazines Frank had purchased for Grandpa. Completely enthralled by the magazines, the officer entirely overlooked the corpse hidden in the trunk. The audience howled with laughter at the absurdity of the moment.

The family was eventually allowed to continue their journey, but a new twist emerged. Olive had picked up some eye test pamphlets from the hospital and was testing Dwayne's vision for fun. Dwayne answered every question correctly—until they reached the test for color blindness.

"What's that letter? It's right in the center," Olive asked innocently. Dwayne looked at it, then shook his head in confusion.

Frank glanced at him, his face clouded with pity. "You might be colorblind," he said quietly. "And colorblind people can't fly jets."

The camera zoomed in on Dwayne's face, capturing the moment all color drained from it. The notepad and pen he had been holding slipped from his hands, and for a split second, it looked as though he had lost the will to live. Grief turned into panic almost instantly. He thrashed wildly, banging his head against the roof of the van, the seat, and the windows in sheer frustration.

Watching the teenager unravel was both heartbreaking and astonishing. Heartbreaking because his lifelong dream had just been crushed, and astonishing because of Troy Armitage's powerful performance.

Richard pulled the van over, but before it even came to a full stop, Dwayne threw the door open and bolted out. He stopped a short distance away, his back turned to his family, and screamed at the top of his lungs, "FUCK!"

The word, breaking months of his vow of silence, echoed in the theater. The raw anguish in his voice pierced through Roger's heart. It was devastating to watch someone work tirelessly toward a dream, only to be told it was impossible all along. Failure was one thing, but knowing you never had a chance was something else entirely—an unjust twist of fate.

What followed was a masterclass in acting from Troy. Roger watched in silence as Dwayne's emotions unfolded: grief morphing into fury, then dissolving into hopelessness. His breakdown was visceral, his pain palpable. Just as the audience thought he might spiral further, Olive stepped out of the van. She walked over to her brother and hugged him. The moment stretched as they stood there, embracing like siblings who didn't need words to communicate.

When Dwayne finally got up, he followed Olive back to the van. Yet, the melancholy on his face was unmistakable. He had agreed to return for his sister's sake, but the spark within him had dimmed—he was a broken young man.

The brilliance of the scene lay in its execution. Shot in a single take, it showcased Troy's talent as he moved seamlessly from despair to rage to resignation, all in real-time. The precise direction of the scene was just perfect.

As the van rumbled back to life, Roger had an epiphany: Troy Armitage was still very much in the Oscar race. This scene alone was enough to secure a nomination. With a strong campaign and the Academy's admiration for Troy, it seemed inevitable. Roger made a mental note to emphasize this scene in his review—it was a moment too powerful to overlook.

The family drove straight to the hotel hosting the pageant, taking no additional stops along the way. As soon as they arrived, Steve Carell displayed unexpected athleticism. He dashed from the van at full speed, racing ahead of everyone to reach the registration table and ensure Olive's participation.

They were late by four minutes and were initially declined entry by the stern woman managing the event. However, the man handling registrations took pity on them and allowed Olive to enter.

Backstage, Olive hesitated, her confidence shaken as she observed the other contestants. The little girls were spray-painted with bronzers, their hair curled to perfection, and their faces caked with makeup. They were all thin and doll-like, a stark contrast to Olive's plain and chubbier appearance.

The film's aim here was clear: a sharp critique of the beauty pageant industry and its damaging impact on young girls. It highlighted the unhealthy obsession with appearance, fostering body image issues in children who should be embracing their individuality instead of starving themselves to fit societal standards.

Meanwhile, Dwayne and Frank ventured out to the ocean for some surfing and had an unexpectedly profound heart-to-heart conversation. When they returned, both had shed their wetsuits, appearing shirtless.

"Fuck beauty contests! I can't believe we're allowing this," Dwayne declared heatedly, his voice laced with frustration. "That's my little sister."

The camera lingered briefly on the sculpted physique of Troy Armitage, eliciting audible catcalls from the theater audience. Steve Carell, standing beside him with a decidedly less chiseled frame, drew no such reaction.

Roger couldn't help but chuckle internally at the blatant use of Troy's appeal. It was clear the filmmakers had inserted the shirtless scene as fan service for Troy's legion of admirers, particularly his young female fans. Having been in the industry for decades, Roger understood these decisions—they were calculated but harmless, meant to please the audience.

Back at the pageant, the contest had begun, and Olive's plain appearance stood out against the highly polished and glamorous competitors. The other girls took to the stage, each act more dazzling and skilled than the last. Richard grew visibly uneasy as he watched from the audience.

He had encouraged Olive to compete, but now, seeing the talent on display, he feared she wasn't prepared for the harsh reality of losing. He didn't want her to experience the heartbreak of failure so young.

Unable to sit still, Richard made his way backstage, where Sheryl was helping Olive get ready. Dwayne was already there, sharing the same uneasy look as his stepfather. Both seemed to arrive at the same conclusion, their expressions speaking volumes before they even said a word.

"I don't want Olive doing this," Dwayne declared, his voice firm and tinged with anger. "This place is fucked! I don't want these people judging my sister. Fuck them! Just look around. Everyone will laugh at her. She's not a beauty queen, Mom. She's just not."

"It's too late," Sheryl countered, her tone defensive.

"It's not," Dwayne shot back. "You're the mom—you're supposed to protect her."

Sheryl seemed taken aback by the sudden alignment between her husband and son, but she couldn't bring herself to crush Olive's dreams so bluntly. In the end, she left the decision to Olive.

Olive, determined to honor her late grandfather's memory, made her choice. She stepped onto the stage with a quiet confidence that belied her age. What followed was a performance that Roger—and likely anyone watching—would never forget.

It was a striptease. While not as outrageous as it could have been, it certainly wasn't innocent either. The stark contrast between the hyper-polished, sanitized routines of the other contestants and Olive's bold, unorthodox act left the audience and judges utterly speechless.

The host, flustered and desperate to regain control, attempted to stop her performance, only for Richard to tackle him in a burst of fatherly protectiveness. The chaos escalated as more officials tried to intervene, but instead of backing down, the family took to the stage one by one, dancing alongside Olive in a defiant show of unity.

The laughter and cheers from the theater audience mirrored the mayhem on screen, as the family's unfiltered joy and solidarity became the heart of the moment.

Eventually, the authorities intervened, and the family was briefly detained. They were released on the condition that Olive never participate in another beauty pageant in California. Begrudgingly agreeing, the family piled back into their trusty VW bus, pushing it one last time to get it started.

In a final comedic beat, the minibus barreled through a toll gate, prompting a burst of laughter from the theater as they drove off toward home, united and unbothered by the absurdity of it all.

As the credits rolled, Roger Ebert was the first to rise, clapping enthusiastically. The rest of the audience quickly followed suit, their applause echoing throughout the theater. This was, without question, the best film Roger had seen in years.

He was certain it had the potential to dominate the awards season, provided it received the right push. And Roger, ever the champion of cinematic excellence, fully intended to give it exactly that.

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