Are you a fan of the heartwarming and quirky comedy-drama “Little Miss Sunshine”? This beloved indie film, released in 2006, follows the dysfunctional Hoover family as they embark on a cross-country road trip to support their young daughter’s dream of participating in a beauty pageant. With its unique blend of humor, poignancy, and unforgettable characters, “Little Miss Sunshine” has captured the hearts of audiences worldwide.
If you’re craving more movies that capture the essence of this indie gem, look no further. In this blog post, we’ve compiled a list of the best movies like “Little Miss Sunshine” that offer a similar mix of laughter, tears, and family dynamics. From road trip adventures to tales of unlikely friendships and personal growth, these films are sure to resonate with fans of the original.
So, get ready to discover your next favorite movie that embodies the spirit of “Little Miss Sunshine.” Let’s dive in and explore these cinematic treasures that celebrate the beauty of life’s imperfections and the power of family bonds.
1. Lady Bird (2017)
IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
Greta Gerwig’s directorial debut Lady Bird follows Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson (Saoirse Ronan), an artistically inclined 17-year-old girl coming of age in Sacramento, California in 2002. The film beautifully captures the turbulent bond between Lady Bird and her equally strong-willed mother (Laurie Metcalf), as she navigates the freedoms and heartbreaks of her senior year of high school.
Like Little Miss Sunshine, Lady Bird balances laugh-out-loud moments with poignant insights about growing up and finding your place in the world. It’s a touching, funny look at the relationships that shape us.
2. Juno (2007)
IMDb Rating: 7.5/10
In this witty, offbeat comedy, 16-year-old Juno MacGuff (Elliot Page) faces an unplanned pregnancy and makes an unusual decision regarding her unborn child. With the help of her best friend Leah (Olivia Thirlby), Juno finds her unborn child a “perfect” set of parents: an affluent suburban couple, Mark and Vanessa (Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner), longing to adopt.
Juno, like Little Miss Sunshine, is carried by a precocious young female lead and her unconventional family’s efforts to support her unique journey. It’s a heartfelt, humorous take on growing up and the curveballs life can throw your way.
3. Captain Fantastic (2016)
IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
Captain Fantastic stars Viggo Mortensen as Ben, a father devoted to raising his six kids with a rigorous physical and intellectual education in the forests of the Pacific Northwest. Forced to leave his paradise and enter the world, he begins a journey that challenges his idea of what it means to be a parent.
Both Captain Fantastic and Little Miss Sunshine center around an eccentric family unit that doesn’t quite fit into societal norms. They celebrate the power of familial bonds in the face of adversity and loss.
4. The Way, Way Back (2013)
IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
The Way, Way Back is a coming-of-age story about 14-year-old Duncan’s (Liam James) summer vacation with his mother, Pam (Toni Collette), her overbearing boyfriend, Trent (Steve Carell), and his daughter, Steph (Zoe Levin). Having a rough time fitting in, Duncan finds an unexpected friend in Owen (Sam Rockwell), the manager of the Water Wizz water park.
Like Little Miss Sunshine, The Way, Way Back is a funny, poignant look at an introverted teen finding his place in the world, bolstered by an offbeat support system. It’s a feel-good summer movie with a lot of heart.
5. Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
IMDb Rating: 7.7/10
After a stint in a mental institution, former teacher Pat Solitano (Bradley Cooper) moves back in with his parents and tries to reconcile with his ex-wife. Things get more challenging when Pat meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), a mysterious girl with problems of her own.
Silver Linings Playbook, like Little Miss Sunshine, deftly balances heavy themes like mental health with humor and heart. It’s a touching, funny look at two lost souls finding solace in each other.
6. The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
IMDb Rating: 7.6/10
Wes Anderson’s The Royal Tenenbaums follows the lives of three gifted siblings who experience great success in their youth, and even greater disappointment and failure in adulthood. When their eccentric father Royal Tenenbaum (Gene Hackman) leaves the family, the children are forced to grow up without him.
Both The Royal Tenenbaums and Little Miss Sunshine feature a quirky, dysfunctional family learning to reconnect and support each other despite their differences. They’re funny, heartfelt tales of the ties that bind.
7. The Squid and the Whale (2005)
IMDb Rating: 7.3/10
Set in 1980s Brooklyn, The Squid and the Whale tells the story of two young brothers experiencing the divorce of their erudite parents, Bernard (Jeff Daniels) and Joan Berkman (Laura Linney). Older son Walt (Jesse Eisenberg) sides with dad and acts out at school, while younger son Frank (Owen Kline) quietly backs up mom.
Like Little Miss Sunshine, The Squid and the Whale is a poignant, sometimes painful look at a family in crisis, leavened by moments of humor and warmth. It’s a touching portrait of the complexities of family dynamics.
8. The Kids Are All Right (2010)
IMDb Rating: 7.0/10
Nic and Jules (Annette Bening and Julianne Moore) are married and share a cozy suburban Southern California home with their teenage children, Joni and Laser (Mia Wasikowska and Josh Hutcherson). Nic and Jules – or, when referred to jointly by Joni, “Moms” – gave birth to and raised their children, and built a family life for the four of them. But when Joni and Laser reach the age at which they want to find their biological father, Paul (Mark Ruffalo), an unexpected new chapter begins for the family.
Both The Kids Are All Right and Little Miss Sunshine center around an unconventional family navigating the challenges of raising teenagers. They’re funny, moving portraits of the many forms love and family can take.
9. The Descendants (2011)
IMDb Rating: 7.3/10
From Alexander Payne, the creator of the Oscar-winning Sideways, set in Hawaii, The Descendants is a sometimes humorous, sometimes tragic journey for Matt King (George Clooney), an indifferent husband and father of two girls, who is forced to re-examine his past and embrace his future when his wife suffers a boating accident off of Waikiki.
Like Little Miss Sunshine, The Descendants is a funny, moving tale of a family coming together in a time of crisis. It’s a poignant look at the messy realities of love and loss.
10. Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011)
IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
At forty-something, straight-laced Cal Weaver (Steve Carell) is living the dream—good job, nice house, great kids and marriage to his high school sweetheart. But when Cal learns that his wife, Emily (Julianne Moore), has cheated on him and wants a divorce, his “perfect” life quickly unravels. Cal, who hasn’t dated in decades, stands out as the epitome of un-smooth so handsome player Jacob Palmer (Ryan Gosling) takes him on as wingman and protégé, opening Cal’s eyes to the many options before him.
Crazy, Stupid, Love., like Little Miss Sunshine, is a funny, heartfelt look at love, family, and finding your way in life. It’s a feel-good movie with a lot of laughs and a lot of heart.
11. The Family Stone (2005)
IMDb Rating: 6.3/10
The Family Stone revolves around Everett Stone’s (Dermot Mulroney) decision to bring his girlfriend, Meredith Morton (Sarah Jessica Parker), to meet his bohemian Connecticut family at Christmas. Hoping to propose to Meredith, he instead faces a clash of cultures as Meredith tries to win the family’s approval.
Both The Family Stone and Little Miss Sunshine are funny, moving tales of family dynamics and the challenges of bringing an outsider into the fold. They celebrate the messy, imperfect nature of family bonds.
12. Sunshine Cleaning (2008)
IMDb Rating: 6.8/10
Rose Lorkowski (Amy Adams) finds herself a single mother attempting to support her son Oscar (Jason Spevack) and her unreliable sister Norah (Emily Blunt) while working a mundane job as a maid. Once the head cheerleader in school with plenty of prospects, Rose now has little to show for her life. She still sees the former head football player, but it is little more than a despondent affair. When Oscar is expelled from public school, Rose takes a job as a bio-hazard crime-scene cleaner to help pay for a private education.
Sunshine Cleaning, like Little Miss Sunshine, follows a down-on-their-luck family starting an unlikely business venture. Both films balance dark humor with a touching look at the unbreakable bonds of family.
13. The Savages (2007)
IMDb Rating: 7.1/10
Siblings Jon (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and Wendy Savage (Laura Linney) are forced to come to terms with their father’s advancing dementia and their own struggles in life. Wendy is an aspiring, but unsuccessful, playwright living in New York City who is having an affair with a married man. Jon is a college professor living in Buffalo who is working on a book about Brecht.
Like Little Miss Sunshine, The Savages is a funny, moving look at the challenges of family, aging, and finding your way in life. It’s a poignant portrait of siblings reconnecting in a time of crisis.
14. Nebraska (2013)
IMDb Rating: 7.7/10
After receiving a sweepstakes letter in the mail, a cantankerous father (Bruce Dern) thinks he’s struck it rich, and wrangles his son (Will Forte) into taking a road trip to claim the fortune. Shot in black and white across four states, Nebraska tells the stories of family life in the heartland of America.
Both Nebraska and Little Miss Sunshine are funny, touching road trip movies about family bonds and chasing dreams. They’re poignant portraits of the American heartland and the ties that bind.
15. The Skeleton Twins (2014)
IMDb Rating: 6.8/10
After ten years of estrangement, twins Maggie (Kristen Wiig) and Milo (Bill Hader) lead separate lives on opposite sides of the country. When both feel that they’re at the end of their ropes, an unexpected reunion forces them to confront how their lives went so wrong. For Maggie, that means re-examining her marriage to sweet “nature frat boy” Lance and her own self-destructive tendencies, while Milo must face the pain of an early heartbreak he never quite got past.
Like Little Miss Sunshine, The Skeleton Twins is a funny, moving look at the unbreakable bonds of family, even in the face of trauma and estrangement. It’s a poignant portrait of siblings reconnecting and helping each other heal.
16. Infinitely Polar Bear (2014)
IMDb Rating: 7.0/10
In 1978 Boston, Cameron (Mark Ruffalo) is a manic-depressive mess. His wife Maggie (Zoe Saldana) decides to leave him to pursue her MBA in New York, leaving him to care for their two young daughters alone. Based on a true story, Infinitely Polar Bear is a funny and heartbreaking portrait of the many unexpected ways in which parents and children save each other.
Both Infinitely Polar Bear and Little Miss Sunshine are funny, moving tales of unconventional families navigating mental health challenges. They celebrate the resilience of family bonds in the face of adversity.
17. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
When their relationship turns sour, a couple (Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet) undergoes a medical procedure to have each other erased from their memories. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind uses elements of science fiction and nonlinear storytelling to explore the nature of memory and romantic love.
While tonally quite different from Little Miss Sunshine, Eternal Sunshine shares a similar quirky sensibility and exploration of the complexities of human relationships. It’s a mind-bending, moving look at the power of love and memory.
18. August: Osage County (2013)
IMDb Rating: 7.2/10
August: Osage County tells the dark, hilarious, and deeply touching story of the strong-willed women of the Weston family, whose lives have diverged until a family crisis brings them back to the Midwest house they grew up in, and to the dysfunctional woman who raised them. Meryl Streep leads an all-star cast, including Julia Roberts, Ewan McGregor, Chris Cooper, Abigail Breslin, Benedict Cumberbatch, Juliette Lewis, and Dermot Mulroney.
Like Little Miss Sunshine, August: Osage County is a funny, moving portrait of a dysfunctional family coming together in a time of crisis. It’s a poignant look at the unbreakable bonds of family, even in the face of deep-seated resentments and secrets.
These 18 movies all share elements with Little Miss Sunshine – quirky characters, unconventional families, a balance of humor and heart. Whether you’re looking for a coming-of-age story, a road trip movie, or a poignant family drama, these films offer a similar mix of laughter and tears. So grab some popcorn, settle in, and enjoy these funny, moving tales of the ties that bind.
