Little Men

So, when I saw the trailer, I think I may have been mislead about what the movie is really about. They used the star power of actor, Greg Kinnear to sell the movie, and even though he's a big (very big) part of the movie, his story is not the focus.

The heart of the movie is the instant bond that happens between the two young boys in this movie (From the trailer, I thought the title Little Men came from the fact that Kinnear was a man-child, which was not the case).

The kid that played the character Tony was the absolutely best. Watching him in the scenes interacting with all the characters was fantastic. He was not the main boy among the two boys, but he was steeling the show without trying.

Other than this kid, the movie does not grab me at all. The main plot of the two boys bond being tested by their parents disagreement over prime real estate in Brooklyn felt really superficial in it's attempts to get everyone on broad, and although every actor is talented, the delivery of the whole film is too bland.

So the kid Tony was the best part of the film that was overall too dry for my taste.

http://cinemagardens.com

I feel like this film was kind of marketed as a comedy, and perhaps that's why the seriousness of the situation at the core of the film really surprised me. It's not that the film is a tragedy, but instead it takes an honest and very real look at these kinds of situations. It's a very carefully and deliberately paced film, and the director has a great handle of the film's tone and atmosphere and is able to really bring the dramatic beats of the story to life. The ensemble cast also seems to have a great handle on the material, never overplaying or underplaying the situation to become unbelievable or become a melodrama. I definitely recommend this and I think it really gives a fascinating portrayal of family and the bonds that exist and how real life can get in the middle of that.

"The neighborhoods changing." Brian Jardine (Kinnear) is a struggling actor who has just lost his father. He heads to Brooklyn for the funeral and to deal with his fathers estate. He discovers that a small business was costing his father money, and is unable to continue the same deal. This causes tension with him and the owner of the business, which is further enhanced by the fact that Brian's son and the son of the owner are best friends. This is a really good movie that makes you think. You really struggle to decide who is in the right and can see both sides equally. The dynamic of the adults and the kids relationships are really fleshed out and are the true heart of the movie. That said, the movie could have been really good but it stayed a little monotone and the end just kind of happened. When you watch this you will see what I mean. Overall, the acting and writing are good, but it felt a little flat at some parts and really just came to an abrupt end, which hurt the movie a little bit. I disappointingly give this a B-.

"Little Men" (2016 release; 92 min.) brings the story of two young men, Jake and Tony. Jake is a 13 yr. old only child and after his grandfather passes away, his dad inherits the Brooklyn building. It's not long before mom Kathy, dad Brian and Jake move in (more room than their cramped Manhattan place). At the ground level of the building there is a small store (a tailor/clothing store) rented out to Leonor, a Latina woman who has a 13 yr. old son Tony. As it happens, Jake and Tony immediately hit it off and become fast (and inseparable) friends. All seems well, until one day Jake's parents need to confront Leonor over the sweetheart (and below market) lease deal which Brain's dad had given to Leonor... At this point we're 15-20 min, into the movie but to tell you more of the plot would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Couple of comments: this is the latest movie from writer-director Ira Sachs, best known for the unexpected modestly successful indie movie "Love Is Strange" a few years back. Here he goes a very different tact, examining how 13 yr. olds deal with their parents getting into a business dispute. The first 15-20 min, of the movie, when everyone gets along with everyone, cleverly set you up for some unexpected but very real life issues: money is tight for everyone, and you like all the major characters, yet some (or perhaps all?) will get hurt down the road. The movie is helped immensely by top notch acting performances, starting with the two boys (played by newcomers). Greg Kinnear brings an eye-opening performance as the struggling actor/dad/Brian. I can't recall Kinnear displaying such a conflicted state of mind as in this one. Also mega-kudos to Chilean actress Pauline Garcia, who delighted us a few years ago with her performance in "Gloria" (and which should have garnered an Oscar nomination, frankly). The role she plays here couldn't be further from "Gloria", but it is an equally stunning performance.

"Little Men" opened with positive buzz at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, and it finally opened this past weekend at my local art-house theater here in Cincinnati. The Wednesday early evening screening where I saw this at turned out to be a private screening: I was literally the only person in the theater. That is a darn shame, as this movie truly deserves to be seen. In fact, I'll just state it: this movie is one of the five best movies I've seen this year (and I see a lot of them). If you are in the mood for a top-notch family/neighbors relationship drama with loads of top acting performances, you cannot go wrong with this, be it in the theater, on Amazon Instant Video, or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray. "Little Men" is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Had this movie been more about the boys and less about the hard-to-like adults, it could have been something pure, fresh, exciting. Unfortunately, it turns out to be nothing but a constant skidding into the margins of a plot that never gets past the original idea.

Was this filmed with the sole purpose of indulging the viewer with a superbly shot, colorful urban reality? It gains ground there. Maybe we were supposed to pour out our emotional responses on account of Greg Kinnear's, admittedly very talented, ever-downcast writhing eyebrows? Because that would be another minor win for Little Men.

Alas, I don't think either of those points carry any sort of validity so, all in all, it all wraps up into a sad 'no'.