Customer Reviews
thought-provoking 
2008-08-22
I saw the film and loved it, and then read the book which was terrific and funny. Then, I watched the film again and I saw something different in it this time. Todd Fields (In The Bedroom) has great talent for poetry on film and allowing scenes to play out fully for the actors.
Winslet is superb, the movie so-so 
2008-08-01
Kate Winslet enlivens this adaption of the novel by Tom Perrotta with a terrific performance. The movie stays remarkably true to the book, leaving out only one sub-plot (and that is a relief).
But the book seemed weightier than the movie. Despite the occasional intervention of a portentious-sounding narrator, very little seems at stake in this fable. In the book, the themes seemed more universal. In the movie, for some reason they appeared fairly petty and routine -- the usual dilemmas of frustrated people struggling to escape the boredom of suburban life and child-rearing.
Apart from Winslet, none of the other actors managed to make me care about them. I watched in a kind of bemused indifference. The sex was not very sexy and the scary, creepy climax at the end not scary or creepy. The movie ultimately just petered out with nothing resolved.
It's also overlong at two hours and seventeen minutes.
thought provoking 
2008-07-29
This movie definitely made me think. The title "Little Children" is so appropriate as the name of the movie depicts a solid theme that permeates the entire movie.
Just don't watch it with "little children" or any children, for it is made for adults. I found this movie to be well acted, and well made.
The "little children" POINTS that I can see in this movie:
1) The movie cleverly starts out in the McGorvey house, with Ronnie
(the town's child sex offender who exposed himself to a minor) and
his devoted, doting mother, May McGorvey. An elderly woman, May has
all kinds of collectibles in her home--her various clocks are all
ticking away in unison as if to represent that something is going to
happen, something onimous or serious that time will only tell.
She also has on disply her Hummel collection of little, cute
figurine children (as her son, Ronnie, is perversely fixated on the
real thing).
Also May treats Ronnie like he was still her little boy. He calls
her "Mommy" and she calls him "Ronnie". She takes him into her
house, cooks and cleans for him (he never needs to wash a dish),
protects him from the harassing ex-cop (Larry), and even sets up
dates for Ronnie to go on so someone will one day care for her
little boy.
2) Sarah (Kate Winslett), a young wife, and mother of young Lucy, goes
regularly to the local playground with 3 so-called women friends and
their little children.
These women are hypocritcal, judgmental, boring, and unappealing
peers to Sarah. Eventually, they become angry with Sarah and shun
her when she beomes intimate with a local stay-at-home father, Brad
(Patrick Wilson), who is often seen at the same playground. Calling
him "the Prom King", these other mothers fantasize over him,
preferring the mystery of him from afar (as they dare won't approach
him for fear of not being properly brushed and made up). I could see
why Sarah wants to separate herself from them. They need a good
reality check.
Giddy over this guy, like girlish women, one of the mothers even
dares Sarah to get the Prom King's phone number. In turn, Sarah goes
a couple steps further with this bet, sparking an odd, little
encounter that will soon mold itself into a relationship between
the two. Sarah's boldness gives her some triumph as she delights in
seeing the women scatter off to the wind like scared, little girls,
their forbidden fantasies spelled out before there eyes.
3) There are the little children of Sarah,(Lucy), and Brad,(Aaron),
innocently caught up in the entanglement.
4) There is Brad's wife, Kathy, who treats Brad more like a little son
than a wife. She earns the money in the family, so she controls the
finances. She even decides if Brad can have a sell phone and
questions his need to subscribe to a few magazines. It is her
decision, not really his own heart, that sends him off to the
library to study for the bar exam. She also wishes for her adorable,
little boy to sleep in the middle of his parents, so sex is not very
available to Brad.
5) Sarah's husband, Richard, "must" give into his own off-the-wall
fantasies, without the consideration of adult restraint or
consequences. He stumbles upon the internet porn site of "Slutty
Kay", acting out in secret what he wished he could do for real.
Among other kinky things, Slutty Kay loves to dress up like a
provocative, little girl with pigtails and balloons.
6) Larry, the ex-cop, loves to push people around. He is a one-man
committee for concerned parents (because Ronnie is in too close of a
proximity to children for anyone's liking). Ronnie is very messed
up, but like the bully that May McGorvey calls Larry, he
constantly harasses Ronnie, going too far. He also acts like a big
baby when things don't go his way. When Larry is feeling bad about
himself, he will soon direct himself to the McGorvey house to raise
more hell.
One thing that haunts Larry is that he mistakenly shot a teenage boy
while on duty as a policeman.
7) Sarah finds out that her life is not what it should be. College
educated, she now feels like she is playing house to her family
as a restless wife and mother. And life with Brad becomes unreal to
her also, only an unfulfilled fantasy life. She buys into believing
that someone else can rescue her from her unhappy life.
Nevertheless, she makes a choice that will only get more and more
complicated.
8) Brad cannot pass the bar exam, failing twice. He is coaxed by his
wife to study again for it, but he cannot seem to focus. He rather
hang outside the library and watch some teenage skate boarders,
feeling like an outsider to them, yet longing for their
acceptance. "I must have been one of them", he thinks to himself.
Little doe he know that he is trying to reclaim his lost youth.
Feeling inferior to his wife, Sarah puts him on a false
pedestal, and he feels good again.
Brad is irresponsible, not a man of integrity. More like a little
boy, he should not be counted on.
Children with full grown inhibitions 2008-06-19
" Little Children " is one of the those rare gems of filmmaking that is a remisniscent of early 70's films. It takes it's time with the unfolding stories and character development. The narraration is outstanding and represents the talents of a phenominal script.
Between the infidelities of two married people , a pedophile , an ex cop , a tormented mother , a work focused wife , and a lonely husband , " Little Children " is weaved together perfectly. So perfect , that I felt compelled to recommend this film on cd now. And I haven't revied a worthwhile film on here , in over a year.
Moreover , all the acting is played superbly by a steller cast of solid actors. The standout performace , for me , was that of " Bad News Bears " actor , Jackie Earle Hayley as the pedophile who recently returned back to live with his mom after a prison stint. The chemistry between Kate Winslet and Patrick Wilson is utterly believable and the supporting players , Jennifer Connley , Phillis Somerville , and Greg Edelman add the perfect support, providing a haunting platform for fully charged story telling. I highly recommend this film.
There are various adult situations and strong sexual content , so it's not one for the kids. This isn't a feel good story either , so it's not a good first date movie or something to watch when you're in a great mood. However, " Little Children " provides excellent cinematography , editing , script , directing and acting. Perfect is you like true characer driven films.
Can't shake this one, even after a year. 2008-04-03
This film critique is almost oxymoronic in that there was so many things I really enjoyed about the movie, but at the same time there's a ton I didn't enjoy. There are those movies that just make you want to analyze them over and over again, but the problem here is that everytime I attempted to answer a question posed for the audience, I realized that we never did get those answers. Why was Jean mad at Sarah? Did Ronnie live? And what was up with Richard?
Little Children should've been the smart intersection of four separate life stories all entangled in subterfuge, lost and loneliness in suburbia, but I really didn't get that. I got the mopey housewife who once had potential and, dressed, looked only a step better than Cameron Diaz in Being John Malkovich. Sarah Pierce, played by Kate Winslet, is stuck in a drole life where her husband would rather masturbate to internet porn than pay attention to her. He's on-screen long enough to be caught and then we don't see much of him, at all. Sarah's lover Brad's (Patrick Wilson) wife, played nicely be Jennifer Connely almost feels like the most talented actor in the film and isn't given much credit. Throughout she wants Brad to take the bar for the third time, but we don't know why he never passes. I suppose he doesn't want to really be a lawyer and would rather play with his son in the park or watch the local skaters. Sarah seems happy in her boring life where she absolutely nothing to worry about. (Her house is paid for and her daughter's a dear.)
In a seemingly enigmatic parallel plot line, a convicted pedophile has been released from prison and moved into the neighborhood with his elderly mother. Jackie Earle Haley, former child star from The Bad News Bears, plays this predator with acidic aplomb who, at times, the audience can almost feel sorry for. He is sickening to look at, but the entire plot around the town's obsession with his arrival did nothing for the film and didn't seem to mesh with the affair Brad & Sarah begin in the local park -- other than the obvious link between lust & playground antics.
It seemed that whenever Tood Fields wasn't sure how to show a scene, he just decided not to. Instead he had some faceless narrator tell the audience what was about to happen, and by doing so, treated us as if we weren't intelligent enought to figure it out for ourselves. Unfortunately for Sarah, Ronnie, and for us, Fields dropped his voice over narration toward the crucial end, where he left us high and dry. These Little Children went home to bed without as much of a good night, let alone any explanation whatsoever.
nah, should'nt have made 
2008-03-19
Kate Winslet Jennifer Connelly and Patrick Wilson star in the Academy Award nominated film Little Children the latest work from Oscar-nominated writer/director Todd Field. Based on the novel by Tom Perrotta Little Children centers on a handful of middle-class suburban parents whose lives unravel in the wake of an adulterous affair.Running Time: 137 min.System Requirements:Runtime: 130 minsFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA Rating: PG - 13 UPC: 794043106576 Manufacturer No: N10657
A stunning surprise 2008-03-16
Any time that I read a review for a film that seems interesting, I add it to an on-going list. It is not always possible to see all of the films when they come to the theatre, so I try to see as many on DVD as I can. But that list keeps getting longer and some films end up getting lost. Such would have been the case of Little Children--had I not picked it up because it had entered the $1 rack at my local Blockbuster. And what a stunning surprise it was. From the very opening to the extraordinary conclusion, I found myself watching it nearly spellbound. There is both a hypnotic and horrifying quality to this satire--an odd but successful combination. Kate Winslet has never been better and Patrick Wilson is nearly perfect as Brad, "The Prom-King." Jennifer Connelly, though she has limited screen time, is equally amazing to watch. And Jackie Earle Haley as the "lives in the neighborhood" sex offender is simply breathtaking. (It was another Amazon reviewer that helped me remember him from "Breaking Away" one of my favorite cycling films of all time.) Little Children haunted me long after the final note of the very powerful musical score had sounded. I would highly recommend that you not miss out on this film--as I nearly did.
One mildly negative note. This is one of those DVD's where I actually wanted a collection of " extras" but where there are none provided. Maybe that is for the better-- in the long run.
Interesting Mix of Humor and Heartache 2008-02-29
Goodness. Think of all the books, films, television shows, that deal with infidelity, suburban angst, yuppie boredom. Well, director Todd Field has found a way to teach a new trick to an old dog: Have as the background to the affair the trials and tribulations of a convicted pedophile coming back to the neighborhood from jail. On top of that, Field brings an edgy brand of humor--humor with an attitude--to his critically-acclaimed film, LITTLE CHILDREN.
What kind of humor? Walking in on a porn-crazed hubby sitting at his computer humor; a blind date between the pedophile and nerdy girl humor; the childish antics of an adult football league game humor. Voiced over by a solemn narrator, it's humor that connects--while simultaneously evoking a shudder. And it is a winning vehicle that makes this film work.
Kate Winslet is a brilliant actress (not to mention easy on the eye). Playing a bored housewife--a wife out of touch with the other clingy and whiny bored housewives of the neighborhood--Winslet draws sympathy and ire as she has an affair with the local househusband (a muscle-bound Patrick Wilson). For his part, Wilson is solid as an ambition-challenged hubby who regrets being an adult. Jennifer Connelly has a surprisingly limited role as Wilson's career-oriented, yet frustrated, wife. And the convicted offender (Jackie Earle Haley). . .I haven't seen anything that creepy since Roger Clemens went before Congress.
With its dark humor and brooding drama, LITTLE CHILDREN is fun to watch. The ending was a tad over the top (actually, it was a lot over the top), hence the four stars. Definitely celluloid worth viewing.
--D. Mikels, Author, The Reckoning
Little Children DVD 2008-02-27
Little Children is not for the faint of heart. There is much to be shocked by in the little town we find ourselves introduced to through the eyes of lonely stay at home mother Sarah, who likes to pass her time at the playground musing that she is only a voyeur in her life, as she studies the other moms under a microscope. Sarah's unhappiness is obvious in her words and her expressions. With little knowledge of her background, we can imagine she was destined for more than the unhappiness of babysitting a toddler with a strong dislike towards car seats. The film seeks to exploit the unhappiness of an entire town to draw a sharp light to the way even grown ups can act like little children in the most inconceivably reckless ways.
The film starts in a small park in tree lined suburbia where three chatty women are watching their young children play while discussing the latest neighborhood gossip. A fourth young woman, Sarah has a bench to herself nearby, nose in a book, seemingly not interested in joining their cattiness. Then the women's attention comes to rest on a dreamy father bringing his young son in to play. Brad pushes his young son in a swing, oblivious to the attention of the moms so caught up with their mystery man that they have secretly nicknamed him "The Prom King." Sarah becomes curious about him and learns that the three women have never even dared to talk to him. Taking this as a challenge to light up her dreary day, she bets them she can get his phone number. She takes her daughter over to the swing set where the two almost immediately open up to each other with an inquisitive chat. Letting Brad in on the bet, what starts as a playful kiss in front of the other children and women turns into a quiet moment of recognition between the two, a meeting of lonely hearts.
Sarah thinks she has good reason to be dissatisfied with her tedious life. She has a master's in English lit and feels trapped in a loveless marriage. Brad has graduated law school and is married to a gorgeous documentary filmmaker, but has trouble letting go of the past. Unable to pass the bar exam out of pure indifference, he finds himself watching the care free antics of skateboarders when he should be studying for the bar exam. As Sarah and Brad continue to find themselves drawn to each other, where they meet at the local community pool every afternoon with their kids as an escape from their lives, the relationship is platonic at first but tension hangs heavy in the air. One can easily see where this is going, however, and a day at the pool that ends in rain confirms our suspicions. A significant subplot features the return of Ronald McGorvey to the home of his mother after serving time in jail as a convicted sex offender. The buzz of his return is heard around the neighborhood as a committee is formed to protest his presence. McGorvey seemingly just wants to get on with his life, and wants to rid himself of his problem, but has trouble letting go of his own past and desires with one reason being that people won't let him.
Little Children draws us in, asking us to sympathize and empathize, before striking at us for attempting to be too forgiving or understanding. Little Children is a psychological drama that is haunting long after the heartrending ending has worn itself away. The film begs the question, Is Ronald the only monster in this tale of woe where adults left to their own devices can wreak a kind of havoc that would send ripples through any neighborhood? We know all know that birds of a feather flock together, but at what cost? Little Children asks us to ponder this and other heavy subjects.
The hunger 2008-02-18
Based on the book of the same name by Tom Perotta, Little Children gives a glimpse into how a group of adults relate to children (and in some cases how they do not relate to children at all), and the shadow side of suburbia. We have the gaggle of gossiping stay-at-home moms who schedule sex once a week and take the kids to the park for daily playdates where they ogle The Prom King, a stay-at-home dad who desperately tries to hide his bruised masculine ego behind his eclipsing unhappiness. However, Sarah (Kate Winslet), a self-confessed nonsuburbanite, befriends him from her own stale despair, embarking on an illicit affair. Add into the pro-family mix a convicted child offender who has been released to live nearby with his elderly mother, provoking a reaction from the suburbia that is nothing less than a trial by peers.
The film moves a bit slowly, as each member of its ensemble is developed. On all parts the acting is flawless. Kate Winslet is stunning as ever. We've seen her play the role of strong woman many times, so it is no surprise that she delivers Sarah with such ease. Her fierce delivery of Sarah's plight and resolve is well-balanced with the character's primary flaw, which is that she's not particularly fond of motherhood, thus of her young daughter. Jennifer Connelly brilliantly delivers a rather frigid power mom in an incredibly small amount of screen time as the partner to Patrick Wilson's Prom King. The many layers of dysfunction in that relationship alone are a case study, which we see projected well through Connelly's suspicion of him and Wilson's confusion. What is perhaps the most brilliant facet of this film is the character May McGorvey, the mother of the excon. She is the only parent in the film who genuinely seems to have abiding affection for her child, and despite her desires for him to have a happy adjusted life she is not blinded to the reality of what he is. The contradictions in that bond to the social assumptions about the childhoods of sex offenders is profound, further foiling the bent family dynamic presented through the entirety of this suburbia.
This film is not heavy handed in its disturbing imagery, though it doesn't need to be. The mere suggestion that Ronnie, the nervous exconvict, is an admitted psychosexual offender provides enough information to leave anyone on edge for the entire film. I did find the narration of the film distracting and unnecessary. At no point did it reveal information that was not already evident from the progression, and I questioned its purpose in moving the plot. Such an understated film would have been stronger without the blatant narration. Given that, the direction of this film is fantastic, in that it allows the story to tell itself. Scene transitions were a bit rough resulting in a disjunct tone, but for the most part it flowed well. It manages to deliver social commentary without being critical or hypocritical. The climax of the film is a bit weak considering the carefully detailed setup. However, the crime you've expected to happen comes out of left field, further underscoring the strength of this screenplay. In the end this film leaves you wondering who the adults are in the relationships, as with only one exception, everyone is indeed acting like little children.
