An extremely satisfying 138 minutes

“Little Children”
Starring: Kate Winslet, Jennifer Connelly, Patrick Wilson, Noah Emmerich, and Jackie Earle Haley.
4 stars out of 4


I wouldn’t even know where to start describing and dissecting “Little Children.” A film so rare and true to it’s nature, that I would be shocked if I didn’t gather several Oscar nominations. New Line has failed to market the film appropriately, and that will serve as its downfall come award season, unless it gets a late push come December.
Todd Field is a master crafter; he knows the ins and outs of the settings that he paints. Field’s last effort “In the Bedroom” was he debut film, it garnered many nominations, and it’s stood on its own as one of the best finds of 2001. Field, who has been away from the big-screen, returns swiftly as we come to notice fast that only he could create a film with so many haunting, but yet true and bold undertones.

The film takes place over a very long summer, we are always sitting in on conversations at the playground, or the local pool, Field creates such innocence, and as much guilt at the same time. Winslet plays Sarah Pierce, whose young daughter Lucy doesn’t get as much attention as she should at her age, Sarah has a PhD in English literature, but never finished her dissertation. She is now a stay at home mom, while her husband Richard is off at work all day, or is he? Sarah and Richard are never really on speaking terms, mainly after Sarah catches him sniffing the panties of an online woman who likes to be called by all of her fans, or net perverts, “Slutty” Kay. Sarah dulls around all day long, taking Lucy to the playground and sitting with the other mothers, who fantasize about Brad (Wilson) who they call the “Prom King”, due to him being so dreamy, and of course, them not knowing his name. Brad is marred to Kathy (Connelly) who is a PBS type documentary-film maker, while she isn’t at work she protects and loves there young son Aaron, who Brad entertains all day with Kathy is at work.
Brad has failed the bar-exam twice, and is constantly pressed by Kathy to attempt a third try. When he is pretending to go to classes, Brad watches the local young kids skate around, a young life Brad still obsesses about, no responsibility or commitment.

Meanwhile a local pedophile has just moved back into town with his mother, Ronnie McCorvey, played to a haunting tee by Earle Haley, is one of the many characters we feel bad for, he is also the only one who is grown up and faces reality, unlike Sarah and Brad who aren’t doers. The town hates the idea of McCorvey roaming around amongst the many children, one particular man who hates this is former cop Larry Hedges (Emmerich), since he got kicked of the force for mistakenly shooting a black kid, Larry has arranged a late night touch football team. Larry introduces Brad to this, and also to the pleasures that he gets from damaging McCorvey’s property, and making sure everyone knows this man lives amongst them.

The film is so complicated as these characters come to grip with there needs, there pleasures, and there regrets. Field is truly crafty in the way he presents equal screen time to everyone, but mostly Sarah and Brad, who share an intimate and truthful affair over the summer. Neither realizes the consequences that might arise, but they feel comfortable and safe with each other, recognizing one another needs at all times. They are happy together, but will it last?

Todd Field’s sophomore effort takes the closest look at modern suburbia since “American Beauty” and asks some pretty tough questions. I try to think of weaknesses of the film, but I draw a blank, although the ending was realistic, I wanted a little more. Other than that “Little Children” proves that acting, dialogue, and characters on the edge can truly form a stellar movie. Although I had to watch the film on my computer, I look forward to watching it again, and hopefully it comes to a local theatre to capture all of the cinematic effects. The film also has a narrator, that doesn’t hand feed us what is happening, but simply adds another touch to the characters thoughts and flaws. Wow do these characters have flaws, but I’ve never cared for, or identified with them more in my life. Keep it up Todd Field; you have made two great films.