Review of Little Children (2006) by Lorenzo V — 12 Apr 2010

"You couldn't change the past. But the future could be a different story. And it had to start somewhere.".

The lives of two lovelorn spouses from separate marriages, a registered sex offender, and a disgraced ex-police officer intersect as they struggle to resist their vulnerabilities and temptations.

REVIEW.

Little Children is one of the finest films of the past decade, a film that is intensely intelligent in concept, in writing, in acting, and in production values. It is rare to find a film so right in every aspect, dealing with aspects of living we'd all rather overlook while at the same time recognizing bits and pieces of ourselves and of those around us in manner that contributes to the frightening credibility of the story.

Todd Field, so highly respected for his previous film 'In the Bedroom', directs the story from the novel by Tom Perrotta with whom he wrote the screenplay. It deals with the way children perceive the world, even when those children are of adult age. The story is told to us by a narrator who unwinds the events like a channeler, showing how each of these disparate people come to realize that they are each acting with retarded, regressive emotional skills usually found only in children. And in the end of the story each has been forced to mature - or have they? The entire cast is brilliant as is the quality of direction by Field. The musical score and the hauntingly beautiful cinematography add to the pulsating rhythm of this exploration of the psyches of 21st century adults. It may be a difficult movie to watch for some, but it is a triumph of cinematic art. Highly Recommended.