MoPoshy
Absolutely brilliant
Kirandeep Yoder
The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.
Dana
An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.
Dalbert Pringle
If you ask me - I think that a much more fitting title for this decidedly bleak, black comedy (from 2006) would have been "American Beauty: The Sequel".Filled to overflowing with endless ill-will and depressing personal dramas - Little Children's story of small-town gossip, infidelity, fetish, and dissatisfaction in the bedroom (as well as a bit of sexual perversion thrown into the mix, for good measure) - Left me feeling like I seriously needed to take a long, hot shower, after it was all over, in order to scrub away all of the trauma and taint that prevailed and totally saturated me during this picture's 2.2-hour running time.To be sure - Little Children is the sort of little "tattle-tale" soap opera that isn't gonna appeal to everyone's tastes. No way. But, with that said - It certainly did contain its fair share of truly compelling moments that helped to earn it a 5-star rating from yours truly, Dalbert Pringle.
Kirpianuscus
a film about vulnerability. fears. desires to escape from yourself. errors. and the meaning of life. few characters. and admirable performances. immature relations, hunt of a suspect, family's crisis, the children as axis of universes in fall, small community's challenges and dark atmosphere. one of films about ordinary every day reality who impress. for the basic truth who is discovered scene by scene. for the pressure of conflicts. for the memories of different forms of Bovarism. for the force of fear and hate and punishment against yourself. for the images about life. for the beauty of illusions. and for the end of dreams. a beautiful film about solitude. and about the high price of escapes from the social expectations. a puzzle. well made. inspired circle of nuances.
brchthethird
Many a film have made on the subject of suburbia and while LITTLE CHILDREN doesn't do much thematically to distinguish itself from what came before, its masterful direction and excellent performances put it a notch above the rest. The story is centered around Brad (Patrick Wilson) and Sarah (Kate Winslet), each married but unsatisfied with their lives. Brad is a stay-at-home dad who has yet to pass the bar and quite a pushover when it comes to his wife. Sarah is a stay-at-home mom/writer who doesn't feel like she belongs with the gossipy mothers she hangs out with in the public park (by virtue of being around them). Amidst this idyllic suburban setting (on the surface) there is a recently released sex offender who moves into the neighborhood to live with his mother, and an ex-cop who will stop at nothing to let everyone know about the "pervert" who just invaded their "sanctuary." Thematically, the film doesn't really break any new ground. You have your put-upon husband with his domineering wife,and a wife overcome with ennui at her banal existence along with her disinterested husband. Any character type you can think of is in this film. What sets it apart somewhat is the degree to which it lets the drama speak for itself and develop more subtly, barring a couple moments which telegraph meaning rather obviously. One such moment is in a book club where the audience is deliberately clued in on a comparison between Sarah and Emma Bovary, the novel which they are discussing. I also thought the voice-over narration was a bit overdone and vocalized character motivations/thoughts that didn't necessarily need to be said out loud. Even so, the narration gave the film this storybook quality which meshed quite well with the setting and tone. Of course, all the performances were top-notch, especially from Kate Winslet and Patrick Wilson. They have great on screen chemistry and the characters they portrayed seemed very realistic. Jennifer Connelly and Gregg Edelman do fine as Brad and Sarah's spouses, respectively, but they weren't really given enough screen time (especially Gregg) to make much of an impression. Outside of this, I thought the subplot about the sex offender, Ronnie McGorvey (Jackie Earle Haley), was done rather tastefully. Quite a big deal is made in the film about judging others for some "higher cause" ("Think of the children...") while turning a blind eye to one's own faults and shortcomings. And based on the ending (which I won't spoil), it also seems to be making a point about the immaturity of trying to escape from one's life and responsibilities. Ultimately, LITTLE CHILDREN is rather pedestrian when it comes to the themes usually explored in these types of films and is a little too "on the nose" in a couple places, but its slick execution and awards-worthy performances make it worth a watch.
Dominic LeRose
Suburban lifestyles may be though of as calm and peaceful and where problems don't really exist. Sure enough, writer/director Todd Field creates an adapted masterpiece about the hardship that troubled adults have in suburban America. There are different stories that combine together like in "Pulp Fiction and "Traffic. Kate Winslet plays Sarah Pierce, an unsatisfied housewife who has one daughter after a divorce with her husband. She meets Brad Adamson (Patrick Wilson) at the local playground and falls in love with him. Brad is a stay at home dad who is working to get a law degree in school and is pressured by his working wife Kathy (Jennifer Connelly). The two have a son. Brad is friends with Larry Edges (Noah Emmerich), an ex- cop due to accidentally killing a young teenager on the job. Larry is promoting to get the released pedophile Ronnie (Jackie Early Haley)back in jail and taunts him. Soon the adults realize what it takes to live as they encounter each other. This film really opens your eyes to how intense suburban life can be. Growing up in a nice suburb, I wonder how the people of my community really feel every day after putting on a fake face and pretending everything is fine. Todd Field writes an absolutely spectacular and brilliant screenplay by giving a genies title and creating interesting characters. The title "Little Children" has an elaborate meaning. It is referring to the adults in this film for acting childish and for being surrounded by kids the entire time. Each character has some connection to kids. Sarah and Brad are parents, Larry accidentally killed a teenager, and Ronnie is an ex-pedophile. However, Sarah is unsatisfied and is childish for not realizing how great her life truly is. Brad plays football like teenagers socially and is distracted like another child character we meet. Ronnie is very childish and creepy by acting like a little kid. Larry is childish for not forgiving himself and plotting revenge on Ronnie. Kathy is childish for not allowing her husband to be happy as a a stay at home dad. How brilliant to keep that title! There are many other supporting characters like Sarah's friends and husband who act like teenagers as well. Her friends for gossiping and her husband for his sexual actions. As the film flows, you really see the truth behind these characters and how they are the reason for the title. Every character may not be likable, but are fascinating and an adventure to watch. Kate Winslet plays a housewife in a troubled lifestyle and dominates every scene with her feelings. Patrick Wilson parallels her in the male version and gives an equally good performance. Jackie Early Haley is the true gem in this film. He plays his character in a way that chills your spine but also makes you care for him in a strange way. He gives an absolutely classic and heart- wrenching performance. Jennifer Connelly and Noah Emmerich support the film by giving extra tension and drama. Todd Field's directing is almost as superb as his mesmerizing writing by portraying the ordinary, suburban lifestyle in a shocking and dark way. "Little Children" is a tough film that can change your view on the world and stick with you in a powerful way and take you on a roller coaster of analyzing brilliant film-making.
