Little Miss Sunshine

Whatever else audio commentaries are designed to do, the best ones bring an insight into the filmmaking process, which means everything from finding the money, choosing the actors, deciding on locations and treating the script as a work in progress. Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris are married with children. Although they have been responsible for many commercials in America, Little Miss Sunshine is their first feature and it took six years to finance, procure studio backing and shoot (30 days in Arizona and Los Angeles and on the highway).

Valerie admits at the start that this is “a somewhat reluctant” commentary, because she and Jonathan have never done anything like it before. Their relative innocence is a huge bonus, because neither are attempting to sell the film. What comes across is a straight, honest account of what appears to have been a terrific experience for all concerned.

The interiors, before the road trip, were shot in a house in Burbank and they hardly had to change anything. The cast were allowed a week’s rehearsal, which became a bonding session more than anything, and what the directors were aiming for was “equality for all."

The casting of Olive was going to be essential to the success of the film. After testing hundreds of children in every country that spoke English, they found Abigail Breslin in New York. She was six when they first auditioned her “and she had done more movies than we had.” Greg Kinnear was their first choice for the father and Toni Collette was “so lovely, so smart” as the mother. At first, they thought Alan Arkin might be too young for Grandpa, while he had other worries (“I had to use all my strength not to sound like Mel Brooks”). Steve Carell had just made 40 Year Old Virgin, but was still relatively unknown. They described him as “a warm, intelligent person.” As for teenager Paul Dano, they had nothing but praise.

Film sets are either happy, or troubled. This one was definitely happy. It must have been all the communal work they put into pushing the van. Being a low budget production, corners were cut, which meant that everyone pitched in. The result is magical and the directors are the most perfect backscreen hosts.

There are four Alternative Endings and what is interesting to those who appreciate the simplicity of the real one is how wrong these alternatives look. A couple involve stealing the Little Miss Sunshine trophy and legging it out to the van in the car park. This was Abby’s idea. She is forgiven - she is forgiven everything - as, no doubt, she will be giggling her head off now, watching these on the DVD.