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Little Children (2006)
Film Home Page
IMDB
Directed by: Todd Field
Starring: Kate Winslet, Patrick Wilson, Jennifer Connelly
Based on the critically acclaimed novel by Tom Perrotta, Little Children follows the family life of young, unfulfilled suburbanites, Sarah (Winslet) and Brad (Wilson), whose relatively mundane and protected lives intersect on the playgrounds, town pools and streets of their small community. When a brief encounter at a neighborhood park leads them down a fateful path, their lives, and the lives of their children, take a surprising and potentially perilous turn.
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Before last week, I'd never even heard of this film. I saw it mentioned by DarthMom in the Last movie you watched? thread. For some reason I didn't even bother researching. I simply went out and got it and, a couple of days later, watched it.
For best results, pick a day when you are not bouncing off the walls from a caffeine, sugar or other stimulant rush. I had just had a hectic day myself and was quite tired when I decided to pop Little Children on the telly. It was a good decision and time very well spent.
I don't know how many of you ride trains, enjoy trains, but this is what Little Children reminded me of the whole time I was watching it - one long train journey. Perhaps it was subliminal messages delivered by one of the characters. Perhaps it was built into the rhythm of the film. Imagine my surprise when viewing the trailer of the film afterwards on the site I linked above and realising that it was played out entirely to the sound of a train. This is how the film progressses. It doesn't rush by or drag on without end. It goes by at a steady, deliberate pace, with everchanging scenery. Every now and again you see a station platform rushing by. At first glance, they all look the same, but you quickly realise that each one is different and so you start to look for the dissimilarities and stay glued to the window in anticipation of the next one each time another one is left behind. In the mean time, there is time enough for a casual side conversation or two, but not a trip to the sandwich maker. No, you don't want to miss that next sign on the rushing by platform, or the interesting people staring at you rushing by staring at them. The train does make a couple of unnecessary stops, but only a couple.
I would say that there are three main characters with three or four supporting cast. I don't think any of the supporting cast's roles are significant enough to warrant any awards or even nominations. The main characters, however, were played exceptionally well. There were no overly dysfunctional neighbours, friends or relatives.
There is Sarah, an unhappy mother; Brad, a stay at home dad; their children, Lucy and Aaron; their spouses. The two parent-child pairs (Sarah-Lucy, Brad-Aaron) are somehow, against odds, attracted to each other. Both parents are stuck and trying to break out of that shell that is full time home parenting. There is Ronald, the sex offender whose mother is desperately trying to integrate him back into society before she dies.There is the mother or mother in law. She is judgemental, but unassuming. She shows high class. There's Larry, "retired" cop and currently obsessed founder of the Committee For Concerned Parents. There is the book club for the ladies. There is the football club for the men. There is a children's playground for both. That is where it all begins.
Everyone's personality envelope was pushed just enough to the limit to keep them anchored in our own reality. There was not a surprise ending, nor was it disappointing or cheesily warm and fuzzy. It was simply well done. As was the film as a whole.
I really don't want to give away any details of the film, so you'll have to forgive my somewhat vague, metaphoric review. I've tried to relay the pace, the rhythm, the feel of the film. If it's your cup of tea, sip away!
A solid four stars from me.
Film Home Page
IMDB
Directed by: Todd Field
Starring: Kate Winslet, Patrick Wilson, Jennifer Connelly
Based on the critically acclaimed novel by Tom Perrotta, Little Children follows the family life of young, unfulfilled suburbanites, Sarah (Winslet) and Brad (Wilson), whose relatively mundane and protected lives intersect on the playgrounds, town pools and streets of their small community. When a brief encounter at a neighborhood park leads them down a fateful path, their lives, and the lives of their children, take a surprising and potentially perilous turn.
=====================================================
Before last week, I'd never even heard of this film. I saw it mentioned by DarthMom in the Last movie you watched? thread. For some reason I didn't even bother researching. I simply went out and got it and, a couple of days later, watched it.
For best results, pick a day when you are not bouncing off the walls from a caffeine, sugar or other stimulant rush. I had just had a hectic day myself and was quite tired when I decided to pop Little Children on the telly. It was a good decision and time very well spent.
I don't know how many of you ride trains, enjoy trains, but this is what Little Children reminded me of the whole time I was watching it - one long train journey. Perhaps it was subliminal messages delivered by one of the characters. Perhaps it was built into the rhythm of the film. Imagine my surprise when viewing the trailer of the film afterwards on the site I linked above and realising that it was played out entirely to the sound of a train. This is how the film progressses. It doesn't rush by or drag on without end. It goes by at a steady, deliberate pace, with everchanging scenery. Every now and again you see a station platform rushing by. At first glance, they all look the same, but you quickly realise that each one is different and so you start to look for the dissimilarities and stay glued to the window in anticipation of the next one each time another one is left behind. In the mean time, there is time enough for a casual side conversation or two, but not a trip to the sandwich maker. No, you don't want to miss that next sign on the rushing by platform, or the interesting people staring at you rushing by staring at them. The train does make a couple of unnecessary stops, but only a couple.
I would say that there are three main characters with three or four supporting cast. I don't think any of the supporting cast's roles are significant enough to warrant any awards or even nominations. The main characters, however, were played exceptionally well. There were no overly dysfunctional neighbours, friends or relatives.
There is Sarah, an unhappy mother; Brad, a stay at home dad; their children, Lucy and Aaron; their spouses. The two parent-child pairs (Sarah-Lucy, Brad-Aaron) are somehow, against odds, attracted to each other. Both parents are stuck and trying to break out of that shell that is full time home parenting. There is Ronald, the sex offender whose mother is desperately trying to integrate him back into society before she dies.There is the mother or mother in law. She is judgemental, but unassuming. She shows high class. There's Larry, "retired" cop and currently obsessed founder of the Committee For Concerned Parents. There is the book club for the ladies. There is the football club for the men. There is a children's playground for both. That is where it all begins.
Everyone's personality envelope was pushed just enough to the limit to keep them anchored in our own reality. There was not a surprise ending, nor was it disappointing or cheesily warm and fuzzy. It was simply well done. As was the film as a whole.
I really don't want to give away any details of the film, so you'll have to forgive my somewhat vague, metaphoric review. I've tried to relay the pace, the rhythm, the feel of the film. If it's your cup of tea, sip away!
A solid four stars from me.
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