Little Children (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
An entire town is shaken up by events in 'Little Children', a clever, dark comedy directed by Todd Field & co-written by him & Tom Perrotta (author of the novel that this film is based). The film centers on 2 young families in rural Massachusetts. Sara Pierce (Kate Winslet) is married to a man who surfs the internet for porn. They have a little girl (who she, at most, conditionally loves). She is complacent in life, but is looking for more. Brad Adamson (Patrick Wilson) is a stay-at-home dad who lives off of the memory that he, at one time, was a jock-with-potential-and-lofty-goals; not anymore. Brad is complacent in life, but may be looking for more. These two, after early trepidation, begin a torrid love affair to supplant their disillusioned lives.
This affair, combined with a startling subplot involving a creepy neighbor who has been let out of prison for exposing himself to little children, proves for a multi-layered film of great intrigue. 'Little Children' works because it plays out as if we are watching real life; encapsulating comedy & drama in one. It also works because of a narrative technique where voiceover is used to explain various situations and/or character's thoughts. The technique may sound pedestrian, but it works within the film as it's meant to ignite humor in situations that would be deemed otherwise. The lives of these married couples, the convicted sex offender and all of their acquaintances intersect, providing some startling, & tension-filled scenes. The funny moments are genuine. And the creepy moments are surreal.
At a playground, & on a hunch, Sara bets the other kids' moms that she can get Brad's (The Prom King) phone number. She is awkward in her attempt, but achieves so much more than a phone number. Brad is one of these youthful spirits who, if asked to jump off a bridge, would do it, just because it's something other than the 'norm'. Casual meetings at a town pool turn into explicit sexual encounters in her laundry room. Their spouses know nothing (including Jennifer Connelly). The only ones who seem to look-down-on & assume anything are the moms from the playground (an underground cult of stay-at-home's who are probably miserable in their own lives). Brad was probably the best looking guy in High School. Sara is average & borderline frumpy, but they connect because the rebellious nature of their exhilarating sexuality is a huge comfort ... amid the misery in their individual lives.
The movie starts & ends with the Sara/Brad story, but is broken up by the very personal story of the sex offender (played incredibly by Jackie Earle Haley). Sara, Brad, & the sex offender, Ronald, become intertwined and my palms are still recovering from the films' brisk climax that center on these 3 characters. I find the movie to be funnier than expected, & more unnerving than expected.
Who are we to sympathize with? Are they all playing with fire? Do Sara & Brad love each other? What do their young children think of this all? Do they get it? Will anyone find out? How does Ronald deal with a hysterical town who hates him for his dirty deed? Some of these questions are answered, & some are left open for we, the viewers, to surmise. The ending is subtle, enigmatic, yet ambiguously positive. For a film (adapted straight from a novel) to involve such tedious topics as adultery, pornography, depression, pedophilia etc., and to have it end on a sort of optimistic tone, albeit abruptly ... is my type of movie. I'll call this 'type' of movie American Beauty Lite. It doesn't always gel. It's not as genius as American Beauty. But it's along the same vein and that's fine with me.
Every character is flawed. Sex offender, Ronald, is a child in an adults' body. His poignant & sad relationship with his mommy (played as humanly raw as can be by Phyllis Somerville) is one in which he can't even wash a dish by himself. She tries to get his life back on track by setting up a date for him, but he is too juvenile to act accordingly. Winslet's Sara is the shell of an intelligent, moral wife. But she is immature & superficial to the core. Wilson's Brad is immature & vulnerable in every scene. He is who he appears to be. He'd rather play with his little boy than listen to his wife & re-take the bar exam. He'd rather watch skateboarders practice or join the local football league than study at the library. Patrick Wilson leaves himself open to this childish behavior & it justifies (along with Winslet & Jackie Earle Haley) the intentions of the film, which is that all parties here ARE 'little children'.
This affair, combined with a startling subplot involving a creepy neighbor who has been let out of prison for exposing himself to little children, proves for a multi-layered film of great intrigue. 'Little Children' works because it plays out as if we are watching real life; encapsulating comedy & drama in one. It also works because of a narrative technique where voiceover is used to explain various situations and/or character's thoughts. The technique may sound pedestrian, but it works within the film as it's meant to ignite humor in situations that would be deemed otherwise. The lives of these married couples, the convicted sex offender and all of their acquaintances intersect, providing some startling, & tension-filled scenes. The funny moments are genuine. And the creepy moments are surreal.
At a playground, & on a hunch, Sara bets the other kids' moms that she can get Brad's (The Prom King) phone number. She is awkward in her attempt, but achieves so much more than a phone number. Brad is one of these youthful spirits who, if asked to jump off a bridge, would do it, just because it's something other than the 'norm'. Casual meetings at a town pool turn into explicit sexual encounters in her laundry room. Their spouses know nothing (including Jennifer Connelly). The only ones who seem to look-down-on & assume anything are the moms from the playground (an underground cult of stay-at-home's who are probably miserable in their own lives). Brad was probably the best looking guy in High School. Sara is average & borderline frumpy, but they connect because the rebellious nature of their exhilarating sexuality is a huge comfort ... amid the misery in their individual lives.
The movie starts & ends with the Sara/Brad story, but is broken up by the very personal story of the sex offender (played incredibly by Jackie Earle Haley). Sara, Brad, & the sex offender, Ronald, become intertwined and my palms are still recovering from the films' brisk climax that center on these 3 characters. I find the movie to be funnier than expected, & more unnerving than expected.
Who are we to sympathize with? Are they all playing with fire? Do Sara & Brad love each other? What do their young children think of this all? Do they get it? Will anyone find out? How does Ronald deal with a hysterical town who hates him for his dirty deed? Some of these questions are answered, & some are left open for we, the viewers, to surmise. The ending is subtle, enigmatic, yet ambiguously positive. For a film (adapted straight from a novel) to involve such tedious topics as adultery, pornography, depression, pedophilia etc., and to have it end on a sort of optimistic tone, albeit abruptly ... is my type of movie. I'll call this 'type' of movie American Beauty Lite. It doesn't always gel. It's not as genius as American Beauty. But it's along the same vein and that's fine with me.
Every character is flawed. Sex offender, Ronald, is a child in an adults' body. His poignant & sad relationship with his mommy (played as humanly raw as can be by Phyllis Somerville) is one in which he can't even wash a dish by himself. She tries to get his life back on track by setting up a date for him, but he is too juvenile to act accordingly. Winslet's Sara is the shell of an intelligent, moral wife. But she is immature & superficial to the core. Wilson's Brad is immature & vulnerable in every scene. He is who he appears to be. He'd rather play with his little boy than listen to his wife & re-take the bar exam. He'd rather watch skateboarders practice or join the local football league than study at the library. Patrick Wilson leaves himself open to this childish behavior & it justifies (along with Winslet & Jackie Earle Haley) the intentions of the film, which is that all parties here ARE 'little children'.