If you haven't seen the movie, "Little Miss Sunshine" is about a dysfunctional American family fighting for nomadicity. I think we can all learn a little something from them.
Meet the FAM: The Hoover family lives in a typical, cluttered suburban house. Olive (7 years old) has one dream: to win a beauty pageant. But by society's standards, she is not "beauty pageant material." Her brother, Dwayne, is a miserable, moping teenager who, to quote himself, "hates everyone." He communicates by scribbling on a notepad for half the movie because he has taken a vow of silence until he joins the Air Force. Olive's granddad is a heroine-addict but also her number one supporter/coach when it comes to the pageant. Her father is the typical, white-ankle-sock-wearing, hard-working American dad. He firmly believes that there are only "two kinds of people in this world: winners and losers," and his self-help program can make everyone a winner. Olive's mom is encouraging and patient, just trying to keep the family together. Lastly, her uncle Frank plays the role of self-loathing-but-along-for-the-ride character. After attempting suicide and falling in love with one of his male graduate students, he is forced to stay with the family and be under constant supervision. The entire family is brought together on a road trip to California when Olive becomes a finalist in the Little Miss Sunshine pageant.
Despite the title, this movie is not sunshine and kittens. In fact, I would argue that it teaches us the opposite; life sucks sometimes but we have to keep going. So, let's look at the four major lessons the Hoover family teaches us.
1. Life Takes Some Time
Dwayne went nine months in silent-brooding because he refused to talk until he joined the Air Force. In this moment, we see him break down because his one dream, his one goal, has been crushed by the fact that he is color blind and cannot fly planes. He gave up his voice for something he can no longer have and we are instantly devastated for him.
2. Tell Society "No"
Sometimes you have to celebrate the little victories in life. Olive was not going to win this beauty pageant. As much as we want to root for the underdog, it wasn't going to happen. All the men in her life (except her heroine-addicted grandfather) wanted to stop her from competing. In life, we want to protect the ones we love and shelter them from society's judgment. It's in times like these when you just have to stand up on stage next to them and dance just as wildly. Frankly, celebrate the fact that you have people in your life who love you enough to do that.
3. The Plan Is...There Is No Plan
Richard Hoover, Olive's father, thought that there was a nine-step plan that could make anyone a winner. "There are two kinds of people in this world: winners and losers." He found out the hard way that you can't plan to be a winner. You can work to be a winner, but that doesn't secure you a spot at the table. On the road trip to California, this once micromanaging, uptight planner learned to fly by the seat of his pants and he was a better man and father for it.
4. Find A System
Eventually, the old van the Hoover family is traveling in breaks down and the only way to get it moving is to get out and push. This is a classic scene. Every time they stop, they have to get out and push the car again. Then they have to run and jump into the vehicle as it gets going. At one point, they leave Olive at the gas station by accident. They can't stop the car because they would have to get out and push it, so they open the door and make her jump into the car. The lesson to learn here is to find a system and stick to it: even if it's a little off the beaten path.
