Visual_Communication_-_Little_Miss_Sunshine

The use of visual communication is explored in depth throughout the course of the film “Little Miss Sunshine”, where the central theme of the film is based on the connotation of “winners and losers”. The opening scene uses a montage of characters of a dysfunctional family to introduce and portray each character’s personalities and perceptions in life. The first of these is of a young girl, Olive Hoover, where the extreme close-up of her face overwhelmed with large glasses, reflects scenes of a beauty pageant through the use of camera cutting. Here the concept of winners and losers is touched upon as Olive watches the winning scene repetitively, mimicking the actions. The implication of winning is then further elaborated with the voice-over of Richard Hoover, Olive’s father, promoting his ‘Refuse to Lose Plan’, where the use of a low angle shot suggests that he is a superior and authoritative figure. Ironically enough, the camera pans to his audience, which is none other than a classroom of children, diminishing his position of power instantly. As the opening montage continues, it reveals the other key characters: An unconventional drug-using Grandpa, Dwayne’s training and commitment to enter flight school and Cheryl’s distress concerning her family’s welfare. The montage closes with a close-up of Frank’s face showing a blank expression as he battles depression after a suicide attempt. Juxtaposition is used in the conclusion as the title “Little Miss Sunshine” is superimposed on a close up of his face. The film is shot in various scenes including the family home and the Kombi van both in confined spaces to emphasise the tension that exists within the Hoover family. During a tense dinner, Cheryl brings Frank home, where each family member’s philosophies cause contrasting clashes as they juxtapose one another. Curious, Olive wants to know what happened to Uncle Frank’s wrists. Again the connotation of ‘winners and losers’ is pressed upon when Richard says, “Uncle Frank gave up on himself...something that losers never do.” This causes a disruption at the meal causing Dwayne, who has taken a vow of silence, to write to Frank, “Welcome to hell”, purposed as a metaphorical greeting describing his perception. Dwayne and Frank are posed as character foils, where Dwayne is perceived in an unconventional manner through the use of costuming (branding a shirt “Jesus was wrong”) and dialogue, on the other hand, Frank often describes himself as a Proust scholar. Consequently, numerous visual metaphors are conveyed throughout the film. As the family voyage on their road trip to California, the experiences they encounter metaphorically represent their journey through life as each member is forced to re-evaluate their motivations and goals. This adds to the already disastrous trip, where Grandpa, the foul mouthed recalcitrant of the family, dies from a drug overdose. Symbolically the Kombi van is compared to the dysfunctional family, and the broken clutch symbolises the problems and breakdowns the family experiences. Although there is a sense of loss and grief following the unexpected death of Grandpa, Richard is determined to reach the Little Miss Sunshine contest, leading him to steal his father’s corpse from the hospital, adding black humour to the film. When the family reach their destination, winning, an American value, is portrayed at the scene of the child beauty pageant and as a metaphor of life where Dwayne claims, “Life is one beauty contest after another”. When Olive is positioned besides her competitor’s, she is juxtaposed with the artificiality of the contest seemingly making her appear out of place. Nevertheless, Olive and her family seem inapt as they extend their right to exist as individuals. Thus, the composer manipulates devices of visual communication to inform the audience that personal fulfilment can be achieved through accepting one’s individuality and the value of human relationships.