The Little Things | |
Director: | John Lee Hancock |
Cast: | Denel Washington, Rami Malek, Jared Leto |
Screenplay: | John Lee Hancock |
IMDB: | 6.3/10 |
All The Little Things PLOT:
The plot revolves around Los Angeles where numerous murders of young girls are reported. So Deputy Sheriff Joe Deacon joins forces with Sgt. Jim Baxter to search for the serial killer who’s been terrorizing Los Angeles. As they are tracking the criminal, Jim is unaware that the investigation is dredging up incidents of Deke’s past. Hence, uncovering disturbing secrets that could threaten more than his case.
The Little Things Review
‘Its the little things’ that makes a movie good & unique. First of all the lead casts of this film is enough to get audience excited to watch it. Denzel, Malek & Leto what an unpredictable triple performers. This story is nothing new in the crime/thriller genre but the storytelling is whatever the little bit it wins. This film, even with an outstanding actors, fails in some levels of the genre.
Its October 1990 when Kern County Deputy Sheriff Joe (Denzel Washington) goes to Los Angeles on a forensic errand meets Jim, the officer (Rami Malek) where they are drawn into a serial killer hunt. Joe is a former homicide detective. While investigating he spots connections with a case he was involved in many years before. Soon they find their prime suspect, Albert Sparma, played by Jared Leto.
The Little Things Performance:
The Little Things is a serial killer thriller that stares three Oscar winners: Denzel Washington as a deputy sheriff, Rami Malek as an LAPD detective, and Jared Leto as a possible killer. I think watching it in the first place was because I wanted to see these three in one frame. Denzel Washington is always a winner & wherever he is, his screen presence are always admirable. Here too, he was a very sincere homicide detective who wanted to catch culprit for own purpose. His past regret is what made him curious & sharp about the killings, when he met Jim in this case.
Rami Malek did a very casual job playing Sgt. Jim Baxter, a brittle character. Now his casual performance was somehow satisfying because it seemed he had put emphasis on the little details & expressions. Like when he was in conversations with Denzel he was like this young over-confident detective but while in action, he was totally different. There was a scene where a witness was in their office & was shown pictures of possible killers to recognize the one she saw. As she turn to Albert’s photo, Jim’s eyebrows lifts in caution. Again in the end when the case seemed solve (won’t give spoiler) & an incident broke Jim, & when consoled by Joe, he breaks. Those little expressions were so accurate & is what makes great of an actor.
Lastly, Jared Leto as Albert Sparma. Man he was so calm that imagining being with such a person, who you know is a serial killer will raise every hair from your head to toe. His character represented how a mid society worker can prevail in a dark world. His prey was young women whom he tortured & killed- for sexual excitement (as mentioned in the film). And his creepy silence & wicked sarcasm dominates every scene he is in. An exact image of a cold & confident killer who knows that the detectives can assume the truth but still tries to confuse them, with ‘what if I can go out this time too’ attitude.
The Little Things Technical Aspects:
Directed by John Lee Hancock who is also did screenplay came up with a decent crime thriller that could have been lot more than what we saw. ‘It could have been’ but its an okay-ish drama, a decent watch. The editing was good. As the current investigation goes on & Joe tries to figure out his past investigation flaws & as the secret evolve before us- the jump cuts made the story appealing. The film duration is also not long so if you plan to watch it, you might as well don’t think much & start with the movie. It takes you on a journey, keep you there for a while, enjoy the entrance of the culprit & with questions arising, you get your answers.
The Little Things Verdict:
The Little Things inspite of having the perfect atmosphere, fails to be a nail biting thriller. Now we don’t know if Director John Hancock wanted to keep it simple & straight without much twist & complex storyline. But given its genre, its story type & starring three incredible actors the story could have been more thrilling than what it is. The equation between Denzel Washington and Rami Malek evolves as the story flows and both gave a satisfying screen presence.
Jared Leto in his short duration wins viewers heart as the devilish killer. One good thing for most viewers is they can enjoy the performances with a light mood, without getting much invested in the story & its subjective. But obviously seeing such a powerful cast your expectation is bound to be high & there you can be a little disappointed.