Little Miss Sunshine

A dysfunctional family embarks on a cross-country trip in their old VW bus to support young Olive, who has unexpectedly qualified for the Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant in far-off California. Olive's father, Richard, is a failing motivational speaker who pushes his 9-step program to success, while her mother, Sheryl, is the overworked, supportive backbone of the family, struggling to keep everyone together. Their teenage son, Dwayne, has taken a vow of silence until he can achieve his dream of becoming a test pilot. Uncle Frank, a Proust scholar, is temporarily living with them after a suicide attempt, and Grandpa Edwin, who has been evicted from his nursing home for bad behavior, coaches Olive in her pageant routines.

Underlying tensions and individual struggles come to light as they encounter one misadventure after another. Richard is bent on promoting his self-help techniques, even though his career is in shambles. Sheryl tries her best to maintain peace within the family, and Uncle Frank provides unexpected insight into the family's dynamics even as he deals with his own issues. Despite the setbacks, including a van that only starts by pushing it and clashing egos, the family unit's bond is tested and strengthened as they continue their quest to get Olive to the pageant on time, discovering along the way that the journey itself is bringing them closer together.