Dysfunctional family movies and road trip movies are not a rare breed, so it is rare to find films in these sub-genres that still manage to feel fresh. Little Miss Sunshine is one such rare gem, and there is little wonder why � a film populated with oddball but believable characters capably brought to life by the excellent ensemble cast, hilarious situations peppered with great one-liners and golden nuggets of truth, and yet amidst all this it is a film that does not lose sight of its heart. There are some horrific depictions of adolescent 'beauty queens' near the end, but that is hardly a disincentive to catch this film in the cinemas.

The family in the centre of the film truly deserves the label 'dysfunctional' � Richard, the father, is a motivational speaker, intent on peddling his 'Nine Step' program and using it as his guiding principle in life. Unfortunately, his program is not exactly popular, and he is struggling to close a book deal to feed the family. Sheryl, the mother, is expending all her energy trying to hold the family together. Teenage son Dwayne is into Nietzsche and has taken a vow of silence and communicates via a notepad. Olivia, the young daughter, is obsessed with beauty contests and had recently come in second in an under-10 pageant.

Frank is currently living with his sister's family after a failed suicide attempt, arising from the loss of his lover, his job and his status as the 'Number 1 Proust scholar' in one fell swoop. Then there is Grandpa, kicked out of his retirement home for snorting heroin.

Now with Olivia given a chance to win the Little Miss Sunshine pageant, the whole family piles into an old VW bus on a road trip to California, filled with comedy, tragedy, and startling revelations, but even the dysfunctional family is not equipped to deal with what the Little Miss Sunshine pageant entails�

Little Miss Sunshine boasts very strong comedic moments, and audiences will be entertained throughout the film's 100-minute running time. But it is the tender moments that truly shine, and the capable ensemble cast help to make the entire family believable and easy to empathize with. Michael Arndt's excellent screenplay is filled with bon mots, and even though the conclusion is rather absurd, it feels perfectly at home in this quirky little film. Despite dealing with some rather dark subject matter, Little Miss Sunshine is indeed like a ray of sunshine, and is the most uplifting show that is opening this week.