Review of Little Woods (2019) by Cori A — 12 Nov 2018

Even though the film never strays far from the main character, performed with equal parts grit and finesse by Tessa Thompson (Westworld, Ragnarok, Dear White People), almost every major social issue in America today is tackled -- health care, illegal border crossings, the opioid crisis, abortion, poverty and cost of living, to name a few.

Set in a town called Little Woods, the movie drops viewers into the life of Ollie (Thompson), who is on probation after being arrested for smuggling prescription drugs from Canada into the US. From there, the story unravels as we follow Ollie's day-to-day life, one that is punctuated by struggle in a million little ways ï¿ 1/2" paying bills, avoiding old connections in a small town, grieving over her recently deceased mother.

Other lives are equally as difficult, including Ollie's sister Deb, who lives with her young son in an RV that's illegally camped in a parking lot. With Ollie's tenacity, the story moves through each day with a bubbling anticipation that reaches the climax just before the end, as Ollie must cross the border illegally one more time.

The artistic points in the film are subtle yet poignant ï¿ 1/2" like one shot of the two sisters smoking a cigarette outside on a badly-lit porch, exchanging few words but worrying together while the little boy sleeps innocently inside.

As the first full-length film from director and writer Nia DaCosta, Little Woods should catapult her toward mainstream success, if for nothing else than because it's highly relatable to all different walks of life.

Don't watch this film and expect a "feel good" drama, but expect to have it lingering in the back of your head for weeks.