Some movies hit you deep, capturing the very core of human connection, courage, and the beauty in life’s quirks. “Little Miss Sunshine” is a shining example of a film that goes beyond genres and hits home with multiple generations.
The movie tells the story of a dysfunctional yet lovable family who takes on a cross-country road trip to make Olive’s dream of participating in a pageant come true. If you’re itching to stream similar films, we’ve scoured the entire internet and have found you the best alternatives.
August: Osage County (2013)
John Wells’s magnum opus, August: Osage County, will keep you keep you hooked ’till the very end. At the heart of the story is the Weston family, who get back together at their Oklahoma home after the head of the family, Beverly Weston, goes missing. As soon as they settle into the place, all sorts of family secrets, grudges, and drama come pouring out, leading to many heated showdowns.
Both August: Osage County and Little Miss Sunshine demonstrate that families, no matter how flawed they are, have strong ties that run deep. Sure, it can get chaotic and even discouraging, but they stick around no matter what.
Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
David O. Russell’s “Silver Linings Playbook” follows Pat Solitano, played by Bradley Cooper, dealing with bipolar disorder. After some time in a mental health facility, Solitano heads back home to his parents, Pat Sr. (Robert De Niro) and Dolores (Jacki Weaver). Now, Pat wants his life back on track and patch things up with his estranged wife, Nikki. Along the way, he crosses paths with Tiffany Maxwell (Jennifer Lawrence), a young widow with her own share of emotional baggage.
The two of them, Pat and Tiffany, form a kind of offbeat relationship and help each other out with their personal goals. Both films don’t hold back on humor, even when tackling some heavy themes, but at the end of the day, they’re about courage, family, and learning to clutch the imperfections in ourselves and the people we care about.
Away We Go (2009)
Away We Go” is a delightful comedy-drama by director Sam Mendes. At its core are Burt Farlander (John Krasinski) and Verona De Tessant (Maya Rudolph), an expectant couple facing a unique challenge. With the upcoming relocation of Burt’s parents to Belgium, their familial safety net unravels, stirring Burt and Verona to take a road trip in search of the ideal place for their burgeoning family.
Away We Go is a heartwarming exploration of parenthood, one you would certainly fall in love with. Both “Away We Go” and “Little Miss Sunshine” are about exploring what it means to be human.
Little Children (2006)
Todd Field’s “Little Children” takes place in a suburban neighbourhood and follows the lives of several people whose paths connect. Sarah Pierce, played by Kate Winslet, is a depressed housewife who starts seeing Brad Adamson, played by Patrick Wilson, a stay-at-home father who used to play college football.
As the friendship blooms, it opens up discussions about social standards, falsehoods, and the problems people in the seemingly perfect neighbourhood suffer from. Both Little Children and Little Miss Sunshine dig into the reality of suburban life. They peel back the layers, showing that there’s a lot more going on beneath the surface than meets the eye.
Little Fockers (2010)
Little Fockers from 2010, is the third chapter in the Meet the Parents series. We’re still hanging out with Greg Focker, dealing with his badass father-in-law, Jack Byrnes. In this part, Greg is married to Pam and has two beautiful kids. Helmed by Paul Weitz, the entire story revolves around Greg trying to show everyone that he has the situation under control, but it’s not smooth sailing.
It’s a classic comedy, with Greg trying to prove himself while steering through all kinds of funny situations. Families constitute a theme that runs through both films, but the way they’re written and the way they make you laugh are very different. “Little Miss Sunshine” balances both humor and heart, while “Little Fockers” is more like a generic comedy film in terms of its plain humor.
Captain Fantastic (2016)
Matt Ross’s “Captain Fantastic” follows Ben Cash (Viggo Mortensen), a dad who, along with his wife, has raised their six kids deep in the wilds of the Pacific Northwest. They’re basically off-the-grid professionals, honing survival skills and diving into intellectual pursuits. The story delves into their unique way of life, showcasing the challenges and rewards of their disconnected existence.
“Captain Fantastic” and “Little Miss Sunshine” find common ground in unconventional family setups and the clash between personal values and what society expects. In these films, the families don’t exactly fit the typical mold, and the stories zoom in on the hurdles they encounter when faced with society’s usual ways.
The Descendants (2011)
This Alexander Payne cocktail zooms in on Matt King (George Clooney), a wealthy landowner in Hawaii whose life suddenly takes a wild turn when his wife, Elizabeth, succumbs to a coma from a boating accident, and on top of that, Matt discovers she is unfaithful, and having an affair.
Now, Matt is left grappling with these bombshells while also shouldering the responsibility of making big decisions about a valuable piece of family-owned land. Both movies get into the nitty-gritty of family ties – dealing with loss, patching things up, and how our choices can shake up the whole family shebang.
The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
This Wes Anderson film unfolds like a set of Russian dolls, with stories inside stories. The main focus is on Gustave H. (Ralph Fiennes), a charming concierge of the Grand Budapest Hotel, and his sidekick Zero Moustafa (Tony Revolori), a young lobby boy who becomes his partner in crime. The whole shebang goes down in the made-up European spot called Zubrowka during the time between the wars.
The story revolves around the theft of an expensive painting and Gustave’s comedic journey to clear his name after getting slapped with a murder accusation. Both movies bring the laughs and use satire to navigate their unique universes. One revolves around odd characters in a European hotel, and the other follows a dysfunctional family on a wild road trip across the country.
Fish Tank (2009)
Fish Tank from Andrea Arnold isn’t any ordinary movie but a real tearjerker. It zooms in on Mia Williams (Katie Jarvis), a 15-year-old living in a public housing spot in Essex, England. Mia is rebellious and kind of on her own wavelength, dreaming big about becoming a dancer. But here’s where the twist comes – her mom, Joanne (Kierston Wareing), throws a curveball by bringing home a new boyfriend, Connor (Michael Fassbender).
As Mia navigates this complex relationship, the film dives into the tumultuous world of adolescence, family dynamics, and the pursuit of dreams in a pretty challenging setting. In layman’s terms, “Fish Tank” is raw and a must-watch.
Blinded by the Light (2019)
“Blinded by the Light” is a brilliant coming-of-age drama directed by Gurinder Chadha. At the heart of the story lies Javed Khan, a British-Pakistani teen in the 1980s who is rocking life in Luton.
Things turn interesting when he stumbles upon Bruce Springsteen’s tunes, which become his secret sauce for dealing with all the teenage drama, figuring out who he is, and dodging the expectations his friends and family throw at him. Blinded By Light is a musical odyssey with a whole lot of heart and Springsteen vibes.
Both films connect on the idea of digging into personal passions and how art can totally transform lives. The spotlight is on characters who stumble upon inspiration in unexpected corners. Like Javed, who discovers a whole new world through Springsteen’s music, and then there’s Olive, chasing her dream of hitting the beauty pageant scene.
So there we have it, our 10 Movie picks to keep you busy after watching Little Miss Sunshine.
What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!