Character Analysis
(Avoiding Spoilers)
Living… in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with his son’s extremely dysfunctional family. This arrangement is recent, and prior to it Edwin had been living out his twilight years in a retirement home that he describes as “f’ing paradise.” Unfortunately, he was expelled from the nursing home for abusing heroin.
Profession… retired. Edwin is an old man and doesn’t have to work anymore. His profession before he retired is never stated – but back when he was a young man he served in WWII. When mistreated he’s still liable to spout of about the “Nazi bullets” that are still in his ass.
Interests… his granddaughter, Olive Hoover. Edwin may be foul-mouthed and a firm proponent of just about every vice under the sun, but he’s also a doting and attentive grandparent. He spends hours helping Olive practice her beauty pageant dance routine, and can always be relied upon to give her a pep talk when she’s feeling down. But once Olive’s in bed Edwin routinely retreats to the bathroom, where he loads himself up on opiates and sinks into a blissful fog. Everyone is worried that the habit might kill him, but Edwin maintains that when you’re old you’d be crazy not to do heroin.
Relationship status… single. It’s unknown if he was divorced or widowed, but Richard’s mother is no longer around and Edwin is free to do what he wants. One of the reasons he mourns getting kicked out of the nursing home is that there were “four women for every man.”
Challenge… surviving a seven hundred mile road trip with the dysfunctional Hoover family. Olive recently qualified to compete in the “Little Miss Sunshine Beauty Pageant” – a prospect that she finds incredibly exciting. Unfortunately, due to a bevy of logistical and financial issues, in order to get her to California the entire Hoover family is going to have to drive across their country in their decaying VW bus. The family is unhappy, hovering on the edge of dissolution, and cursed with terrible luck. It will be taxing, high-stress journey to help Olive achieve her dream of winning the Little Miss Sunshine Beauty Pageant.
Personality… foul-mouthed, lecherous, and kind. Edwin has done a lot of living and doesn’t feel the need to censor himself or impress anyone anymore. He’ll say whatever is on his mind whenever he wants to, and will only dabble in the art of discretion if Olive is in the room. While most of the things that come out of his mouth vindicate the stereotype of “dirty old man,” he occasionally has flashes of insight and kindness that might have come from a (vulgar) sage.