The movie was grotesque at times (bugs and blood, yew!), realistic (with a man who quite promises things but never delivers), exaggerated (with a kid with odd behaviors), and down to earth (a cheerleader single mom Rose, who fails, tries, endures and all).
I liked this part in the movie (transcript from this blog). After confronting the biggest tragedy, Rose comes down to her heart and tells Winston, one-armed man at a local cleaning supply store
"I am good at getting guys to want me. Not date me or marry me, but want me. I’m really good at that. That and cheering. I was really good at cheering."
Winston, a second later replies: "Cheering’s good."Then goes Rose, "Yeah, but not as lucrative as you’d think."
Sadly I couldn't agree more.
Now I'm looking forward to seeing Little Miss Sunshine (2006).
