Little Children | Kate Winslet, Patrick Wilson

Little Children | Kate Winslet, Patrick Wilson | one of the best movies of the last 3 years or so

DVDs:

Little Children

	Little Children Kate Winslet, Patrick Wilson New Line Home Video, 2007 average customer review:based on 136 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

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.

thought-provoking

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.

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one of the best movies of the last 3 years or so

Patrick Wilson was somewhat unknown until his performance in this. His character, coupled with Kate Winslet's, masterfully shows us who the real "little children" are. I'm usually one who reads the book before seeing the movie, but I'm hesitant to read the book because I found the movie so poignant. Watch this with friends and be prepared for heated and passionate discussion. Do not watch this with little children, for they will find some scenes and content quite disturbing (as I did and I'm in my thirties!).

Tough to watch, but amazing.

Yikes. Though well-done, Little Children is a very difficult movie to watch.

Sarah (Winslet) is a stay-at-home mom in a small, suburban community. Her only child, daughter Lucy, is three, and Sarah apparently has no plans to return to the work force. Though her family could well afford it, Sarah does not put Lucy in any part-time childcare, and she shuns opportunities to spend time with other SAHMs. (I can only guess that she feels "above" them?) However, she seems to resent her duties as a full-time mom. In fact, it doesn't appear that she enjoys spending time with her daughter at all, even though that's primarily what she does. As a result, Sarah feels unfulfilled.

Brad (Wilson) is a stay-at-home dad with a young son and a knockout wife (Connelly) who works in the documentary film industry. He's graduated from law school but, thus far, has failed to pass the bar exam. Money is tight at Brad's household, and his wife routinely questions his expenditures - magazine subscriptions, his desire for a cell phone, etc. Because his wife allows his son to sleep in their bed, sex is at an all-time low for Brad. As a result of all the above, Brad feels unfulfilled.

When Sarah and Brad meet at the park one day, an unexplainable kiss sets them on track to potentially life-altering events. In addition, tightly-wound subplots - a sex offender moving into the neighborhood, a local cop who's now "retired" due to his use of deadly force on the job, etc. - add to the ominous feeling that everything could very well fall apart by the end of the film.

Performances were very strong throughout. There was not a character in this film that I did not believe. Everyone turned in A work here; cannot write enough good things about that. In my opinion, the performances are what make this film so compelling.

However, I had difficulty watching Little Children, which I suppose was partly the point. First of all, I didn't understand WHY the characters made some of the choices they did. Sarah and Brad's first encounter was completely baffling to me. They hardly know one another, and they kiss. Wha . . . ? And since this is the initial event that sets all of the others in motion, I kinda wanted more motivation for the characters here.

Other "whys" - why doesn't Sarah talk with her own husband regarding the distance they are experiencing and her need for fulfillment; why doesn't Brad assert himself more in his own marriage, rather than surrendering his whole self to being a SAHD? They are both kind-of weak personalities.

The subplots were not easy, either. The sex offender is being harassed by the "retired" cop. The offender's mother (who he's moved back in with) is trying her best to protect her son and help him reform. The "retired" cop is struggling with his own guilt at using force on the job (which resulted in the death of an innocent 13-year-old) and pacifying his inner demons by persecuting the sex offender. Aaargh. There's nothing simple about this film. Everything is so . . . twisted up.

I would say that this movie is worth watching, but not for the faint of heart. All kinds of fit hits the shan before it's over.

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we are all Sara

What? Somebody wrote an original interesting screenplay about relationships, lust, unrest and perversion in suburbia and then cast Kate Winslet and Patrick Wilson (underrated) in the lead roles? Yes, please.
This is one of those movies where they keep taking you out of the movie to give you information about the movie but it's ok because you're getting information and being entertained and it works. It's not pretensions this time (Running with Scissors, anyone?).
I'm not going to give any of the story away (other reviewers have no qualms doing that for you) because it's too delicious, too mind-blowing and I'm just not going to do that to you. But trust me, Kate's at her best here. The screenplay is magic, yet its also very grounded and logical. It's disturbing at points, hilarious a few times and it does break your heart a bit at the end when our villain gets what's coming to him. The irony! I did identify with Kate's portrayal of Sarah, the `bad mom' but I'm sorry, kids, sometimes mommy's gotta have a life, too.

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Not Worth Seeing

A town is terrified by the release from prison of a man who exposed himself to a little girl. The man most vocally concerned has his own dirty secrets, as do many others who are likewise, and rightfully judgmental of the pervert. The director lets us know that despite his punishment, he will behave inappropriately repeatedly. But then again, so will everyone else. It's just that his particular perversion demands an audience.
Others have affairs, conducted largely in front of their children, destroying the fabric of innocent young lives by jeopardizing their family structures. Others demean their wives, or act rashly causing death and destruction. Sometimes the perpetrators of actions which have consequences far more severe than seeing the penis of an exhibitionist go unpunished. While that is true, it doesn't diminish the fear that people have of predators taking advantage of their children.
Putting the story in the midst of the other secrets playing out in a small town in no way diminishes the seriousness of the concern parents should feel. It just makes you feel as if any interaction between people you meet has a dirty underside waiting to happen.
I hated this movie. That said, the acting and direction were superb.

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