“I Don’t Want to be a Loser”: Rethinking the Idea of Success in Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

Abstract

[eng] Succeeding and failing are two notions that are constantly confronted within the plot of the Oscar-winning film Little Miss Sunshine (2006), directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris. This production, often positioned within the realm of “indie cinema”, challenges mainstream discourses of success. Drawing on cultural and American studies, this paper aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the film focused on its portrayal of the American Dream and its critique of the conventional understanding of success within the American ideology. After providing a brief overview of how American values are shaped, this paper will reflect on the recurrent dichotomy of winners and losers in the film to address its counter-discourse that establishes a new perspective on happiness, questioning individualistic and meritocratic ideals. Resilience and togetherness emerge as powerful and valid alternatives for coping with failure, as they open up space for redefining concepts such as happiness and freedom. Hence, this paper shows how Little Miss Sunshine rethinks the traditional notion of success, while also exploring the alternatives it suggests in relation to a new form of optimism that considers failure as essential for individual development and progress.