Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris direct Abigail Breslin, Toni Collette and Greg Kinnear in this road movie where a dysfunctional family travel across America so their youngest girl can take part in a beauty pageant.

This gets the sweet and sour mix of emotional manipulation of cynical comedy just about right. It is one of the few movies that has both National Lampoon’s Vacation and The Royal Tenenbaums as touchstones. Far more messy and middle class than Wes Anderson. A strong first act and an iconic finale does mean the middle section of on road disasters and off road realisations plays out a little obviously. But it gifted the world Breslin and Paul Dano! Two weirdo talents I’ll always have time for.

8

Perfect Double Bill: Dumplin’ (2018)