Little Children
2006. Directed by Todd Field. Screenplay by Todd Field and Tom Perrotta, based on Perrotta's novel. Starring Kate Winslet, Patrick Wilson, Jackie Earle Haley, Noah Emmerich, Jennifer Connelly, and Jane Adams.
Voice-over narration is often seen in the film world as a cover for a weak narrative. The narrative in Little Children isn't weak, yet the voice-over narration from an omniscient voice works completely against the story. The movie begins, ends, and fills up way too many spots in the middle with this extremely ineffective and even annoying voice-over telling us things we could often see easily in the actions of the actors. The narration isn't particularly well done and it adds nothing to the story.
Little Children follows two stay-at-home parents who feel distanced in their marriage and eventually find comfort in each other. They meet most days at a local park, then later at the town pool, and what started somewhat innocently ceases to be innocent. Also taking residence in this town is a sex offender and a former cop who makes it his duty to spend every spare second harassing him.
The film as a whole left me disappointed. It isn't bad. In fact, it has many very good parts including the acting which is uniformly good. There are scenes that are far better than the whole, including the sex offender's date with the the under appreciated Jane Adams (her character is not unlike the one she played in Happiness). I was always interested but never completely taken in. Every time I'd start to get really involved, that damn voice-over would come on again to pull me right back out.
My grade: B-
Voice-over narration is often seen in the film world as a cover for a weak narrative. The narrative in Little Children isn't weak, yet the voice-over narration from an omniscient voice works completely against the story. The movie begins, ends, and fills up way too many spots in the middle with this extremely ineffective and even annoying voice-over telling us things we could often see easily in the actions of the actors. The narration isn't particularly well done and it adds nothing to the story.
Little Children follows two stay-at-home parents who feel distanced in their marriage and eventually find comfort in each other. They meet most days at a local park, then later at the town pool, and what started somewhat innocently ceases to be innocent. Also taking residence in this town is a sex offender and a former cop who makes it his duty to spend every spare second harassing him.
The film as a whole left me disappointed. It isn't bad. In fact, it has many very good parts including the acting which is uniformly good. There are scenes that are far better than the whole, including the sex offender's date with the the under appreciated Jane Adams (her character is not unlike the one she played in Happiness). I was always interested but never completely taken in. Every time I'd start to get really involved, that damn voice-over would come on again to pull me right back out.
My grade: B-
posted by Keith Allison at 12:05 AM
1 Comments:
Keith, we finally saw this movie a few weeks ago (we are amazed at how you are able to keep up with more current fims...we can only do so if they are something we can watch with the kids...and obviously, this was NOT one of those films). Anyway, I really really liked it, and it has stayed with me, even a few weeks later. It was very disturbing, but I thought it was excellent. The script, the acting, the directing. Guess we need to try to see some more grown-up movies. ;)
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