Little Miss Sunshine.

Question 1

What are the key themes of LMS?

Answer 1

Winners & Losers. Family Unity. Social Acceptance.

Question 2

What does the opening sequence reveal about the characters?

Answer 2

Their detachment from each other and the fact that they are all striving for their individual success.

Question 3

What do the hoover family represent in society?

Answer 3

True normality rather than the picture perfect poster families that are deemed normal.

Question 4

Who directed LMS?

Answer 4

Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris.

Question 5

What is the significance of Dwayne and Frank wearing white in the opening sequence?

Answer 5

It contrasts to the rest of the family’s patterned clothes.

Question 6

Why is Dwayne’s room monochromatic?

Answer 6

It shows his detachment from others, he is colour blind so his life lacks colour.

Question 7

Why is Olive in bright colours?

Answer 7

She is different to the rest of the family, she represents hope.

Question 8

What do the cups that Sheryl hands out at dinner in the opening sequence represent?

Answer 8

They are mismatched colours to represent the chaos of the family. Mis-matched people.

Question 9

What do the dull greys in the hospital in the opening sequence represent?

Answer 9

Franks depression.

Question 10

What does the dull lighting in the Hoover’s house represent?

Answer 10

Their failure and hopelessness.

Question 11

What does Grandpas patterned clothing represent?

Answer 11

His disorderly personality. The patterns are chaotic like him.

Question 12

What is significant about how Dwayne and Frank act at the dinner table in the opening sequence?

Answer 12

They are detached from the family, unaffected by the arguments going on.

Question 13

What does the meal represent in the opening sequence?

Answer 13

It is unprepared, the disposable sharing bucket of chicken and the paper plates show how disorganised the family are.

Question 14

What is significant about Richards suit in the opening sequence?

Answer 14

It portrays him being successful but he isn’t actually.

Question 15

What does the photo frame in the hallway represent in the opening sequence?

Answer 15

Them pretending to be a normal family when they aren’t, by society’s standards.

Question 16

How is Frank patronised in the opening sequence?

Answer 16

He is given a child’s glass as he is not allowed glass and the bed he is given is referred to as a cot. When Dwayne goes to tell him that dinner is ready a high angle shot is used as if Dwayne is looking down on him.

Question 17

What does the desert represent in the opening sequence?

Answer 17

It is basic, nobody sits down to eat it, it is violently dumped on the table. They do not make an effort with each other.

Question 18

Why is Dwayne’s notebook always with him?

Answer 18

He is determined to succeed, if he didn’t have it with him he would have to talk.

Question 19

How is Dwayne’s poor relationship with his step-dad shown?/

Answer 19

He is unaffected by the inspirational speech Richard gives him.

Question 20

What is the significance of the music at the start of the film?

Answer 20

It is upbeat and has a steady rhythm which is a contrast to what we are about to see when we meet the hoover family.

Question 21

How does the music change when Grandpa is taking heroine?

Answer 21

The notes are higher which shows his relaxation, he is calmer than the others.

Question 22

What is the effect of the music when Dwayne is asked to come to California?

Answer 22

The pace increases and the background noise is quiet which creates suspense when waiting for his answer.

Question 23

What is the effect of the diegetic sound when Sheryl goes to the hospital?

Answer 23

Her footsteps are the only thing you hear, this symbolises the emptiness that Frank feels. It also highlights her presence to save him.

Question 24

What is the effect of Grandpa blowing his nose during dinner at the beginning of the film?

Answer 24

It shows disrespect as it is during Franks talk about suicide. He is dismissive of Franks problems.

Question 25

What is the effect of Sheryl saying “I have to insist” to Frank.

Answer 25

The sympathetic tone shows that she is trying to please everyone.

Question 26

“I hate everyone” - Dwayne.

Answer 26

He underlines ‘everyone’ which reflects his detachment from his family and the world. He is cynical and emotionless.

Question 27

“What happened to your arms?” - Olive

Answer 27

Shock, sympathy. she is naïve about what happened.

Question 28

“I gotta go!”

Answer 28

Passionate, he wants to support Olive. He is determined to see her achieve her dreams.

Question 29

What is the effect of Richard constantly referring to the 9 steps?

Answer 29

Shows that he wants people to use them, this is a contradiction as he doesn’t use them himself.

Question 30

“They do that horse stuff every weekend!”

Answer 30

Shows that he dismisses other families success and happiness because he is too focused on his own.

Question 31

“The insurance” - Sheryl to doctor when he says they want to keep Frank in hospital.

Answer 31

Shows that they are lacking funds as a family and can’t afford to give him the care he needs in hospital.

Question 32

What is the effect of the close up of Frank on his own in the opening sequence?

Answer 32

It highlights his loneliness and detachment form the world.

Question 33

What is the effect of the unsteadiness of the camera in the car and when Sheryl and Richard are arguing in the opening sequence?

Answer 33

Symbolises the instability of their circumstances.

Question 34

What is the effect of the camera moving rapidly around the room from character to character in the opening sequence?

Answer 34

It is shaking and moves quickly, this highlights the erratic, chaotic nature of the family. Things are quick paced and hurried to show the stress in the family.

Question 35

What does the close up of Dwayne violently writing in his notepad show in the opening sequence?

Answer 35

His frustration and resentment at having to go to California, he is only going for Olive’s sake.

Question 36

What does the close up of Olives face as Richard asks her if she can win show?

Answer 36

She hesitates for a moment showing that she doesn’t want to disappoint her success driven father, it also shows that she is determined to achieve her dream.

Question 37

What do the close ups of Olives face when talking about Franks suicide show?

Answer 37

He innocence and naivety, she doesn’t understand why anyone would do that. She thinks only about the positive things and is naïve about the negative.

Question 38

What does people leaving the pageant during the closing sequence show?

Answer 38

That they are shocked and disgusted and cannot accept that Olive does not conform to what is deemed as normal.

Question 39

How does Frank feel during the closing sequence?

Answer 39

He is clearly proud of Olive as she is not like the other false girls on stage.

Question 40

Why does some of the crowd seem unaffected by Olives dancing in the closing sequence?

Answer 40

They are used to seeing over-sexualised young girls, it is normal.

Question 41

What is ironic about parents shielding their children’s eyes when Olive is dancing?

Answer 41

A few minutes before they were cheering on young girls dancing in bikinis but as Olive is not like them they believe it is wrong.

Question 42

What are directors satirising in Little Miss Sunshine?

Answer 42

Beauty pageants and what society accepts as normal.

Question 43

How does Olive contrast to the other girls?

Answer 43

She does not wear make-up, she is a real-life person where as the other girls are fake. The other girls are deemed beautiful by society’s standards, for their looks, but Olives personality and innocence is what makes her beautiful. Olives oversized glasses and headband are a contrast to what the other girls are wearing.

Question 44

How does Olive in the closing sequence link to else where in the film?

Answer 44

When she is standing in front of the TV in the opening sequence, fixated on miss america with the reflection in her glasses. Despite being the youngest she ends up being the one to teach her family a lesson about winning and losing.

Question 45

How does the pageant judge react to Olive?

Answer 45

Although she doesn’t deem Olive suitable for the pageant she remains calm as she doesn’t want her pageant to seem out of control.

Question 46

How does Miss California react to Olive?

Answer 46

She remains smiling, either she does not realise whats going on or she is so fake she keeps a smile on her face despite everything.

Question 47

How does Richard change in the final sequence?

Answer 47

He no longer cares about Olive winning, he only cares that she is happy. He stops caring about what people think about him and gets up and dances with Olive. This contrasts to his earlier views. He now sees that his family are successful in their own unique way.

Question 48

What is the effect of the high-key lighting used in the closing sequence?

Answer 48

It contrasts with the low-key lighting used in the opening sequence. It reflects the new positive outlook of the family.

Question 49

What is the effect of Richard staring directly at the pageant organiser?

Answer 49

He realises the ridiculousness of the situation. It shows that he doesn’t care anymore about embarrassing himself in front of everyone.

Question 50

What is the effect of the shots of Charisma Whiteman?

Answer 50

She directly contrasts to Olive, her name has a sense of allure and class which contrasts to Olive Hoover. She has painted on beauty which contrasts to Olives who is natural. Charisma represents the misconception of what people are like.

Question 51

What is the impact of the pageant presenter?

Answer 51

He is tanned and made up to fit in with the pageant setting. He is creepy and sickening, adding to the discomfort created by the pageant.

Question 52

What is the effect of the family standing up during Olive’s performance?

Answer 52

They are standing up for her, they realise that it is more important that she is content in life than what people think of her.

Question 53

How does the closing sequence link to the 9 step programme?

Answer 53

Olive doesn’t use it but she has still won in her own way, Richard is proud of her all the same. This links to Richard saying that she should only enter if she knows she can win.

Question 54

How is the closing sequence a turning point for Richard?

Answer 54

He is proud of Olive for who she is, not what people think of her.

Question 55

What is the effect of the shot of the presenter talking to Olive?

Answer 55

Her answer to the presenters question - that her grandpa is in the boot of the car - cannot be answered by the usual scripted response showing that Olive is realer than the other girls as she gives honest unscripted answers. She contrasts to the other girls as she isn’t wearing skimpy clothing. The presenters position, hovering over Olive, is threatening, he is threatening to the honesty and naïvety of her character. Olive is behaving like a girl of her age unlike the other girls.

Question 56

What is shown by the family dancing?

Answer 56

They are united for the first time. They no longer care about what society thinks of them. It contrasts with the beginning of the film where the family were distant.

Question 57

What is the effect of the camera being behind the family when they are dancing?

Answer 57

We are on the families side, in opposition with the audience and the judges. It shows the contrast between the families happiness and the judgemental, condemning crowd.

Question 58

What do the families facial expressions show when they are in trouble?

Answer 58

They are blank showing that they show no remorse as they dont see what they’ve done as wrong. The family is presented as though they were in trouble at school which highlights how patronising the contest is. The family is once again united which links to the beginning of the film where they were detached from each other.

Question 59

What is significant about the families order when getting in trouble?

Answer 59

They are in the same order as they were around the dinner table in the opening sequence which highlights the change they have undergone.

Question 60

When Dwayne finds out that he is colour blind, what is the effect of the non-diagetic music?

Answer 60

It gets louder the angrier he gets, it mirrors his emotions.

Question 61

What is the effect of Dwayne remaining silent but everyone else shouting when he finds out he is colourblind?

Answer 61

Dwayne is the only one with a reason to shout, it shows that he is determined to stick to his goal even though there is no point, his family are more chaotic than him in reality.

Question 62

What is the effect of character positioning when Dwayne finds out that he’s colour blind?

Answer 62

He sees himself as trapped in the van aswell as trapped with his family as he can no longer escape by becoming a pilot.

Question 63

Why doesn’t Richard want to stop the van when Dwayne has his breakdown?

Answer 63

He is too focused on getting there on time and reaching his own goals. His reluctance to stop is ironic as he is driven by goals and success and his sons goals have been shattered.

Question 64

What is the effect of Frank’s blank expression during Dwaynes melt down?

Answer 64

He is familiar with failure and distress so it doesn’t faze him.

Question 65

What does the close up of Olive during Dwayne’s breakdown reveal?

Answer 65

Her concern and sympathy for him. She doesn’t fully understand what is going on which reflects her innocence.

Question 66

What is the effect of Olive’s bright clothes when Dwayne finds out that he’s colourblind?

Answer 66

It is as if the universe is rubbing it in, they are in the forefront of the shot as the bright colours contrast to the tragic situation.

Question 67

What is the non-diegetic sound like during Dwayne’s breakdown?

Answer 67

It is quick-paced and gets louder and louder to mimic Dwayne’s hysterics.

Question 68

What is shown through the character positioning during Dwayne’s breakdown?

Answer 68

Richard originally thinks the noise is from outside the van, he is more concerned with everything else than his family, thinks the van is breaking down rather than his family. Olive turns round first showing that they have the strongest bond and that she cares most.

Question 69

What is the effect of the camera shot when Dwayne finds out that he is colourblind?

Answer 69

The camera shows the whole family with Dwayne at the back, excluded. As Dwayne is detached emotionally he also detaches himself physically.

Question 70

When Dwayne runs out of the van and down the hill during his breakdown, what does the shot symbolise?

Answer 70

The sky is empty, like Dwayne now that his dreams are over. This also symbolises how Dwayne wanted to be a pilot in the sky but instead is stuck on the ground. His family are far away in the background, he remains distant from them. The vast open space contrasts to the claustrophobic setting of the van.

Question 71

What is the effect of Dwayne appearing bigger in the shot when yelling at Sheryl?

Answer 71

It reinforces the words he is saying, he is belittling the rest of his family so the camera shows him as the bigger person.

Question 72

What is the effect of Olive being the one to succeed in comforting Dwayne?

Answer 72

She is the only one that didn’t recieve any verbal abuse from Dwayne, she cannot be attacked as she is pure. She hasn’t yet met the failure that

Question 73

What is the effect of the low angle shot when Dwayne and Olive go back up the hill to the van?

Answer 73

It is used to make him feel smaller as he apologises.

Question 74

What is the effect of the character positioning when Dwayne and Olive go back up the hill to the van?

Answer 74

Richard is distant fro the rest of the family, more concerned with the time than Dwayne. He no longer cares about Dwayne as he has failed but Olive still has a chance to win.