Review of Little Boy (2015) by Jeff B — 02 Apr 2016

If you're a jaded adult who can't handle the truth, or you're looking for great sophistication and depth, you've come to the wrong place. The rating is PG-13, but this is certainly geared to the adolescent audience, so if you're a big, important, jaded, sophisticated adult, drop your pride at the door and enjoy.

This is a great lesson for the initiate as to the home issues of WWII, as regards racism and nationalism. My 10-yr-old was asking a lot of questions, and at one point he said, "Isn't it good that we weren't alive in the 40s?" I didn't have the heart to tell him that not much has changed. He's got time.

But there's also lessons of maturity and strength being dispensed and passed onto Pepper and all his young viewers. Of course the film doesn't go the full nine yards showing the horrors that the Japanese suffered, especially because of their look or inability to blend into society like the Italian- and German-Americans, something the film could have covered.

Overall, it was enjoyable with nice pacing, solid acting, and enough fantasy and cool stuff to keep the kids interested enough for the greater lessons in war, race, and compassion. Worth the watch.