Little Children Review

Bottom-Line:  Little Children is a power reminder of the consequences of not growing up can be, or could be, and that is a lesson never to be lost.      

Kate Winslet is far and away my favorite Hollywood actress.  Her roles are almost always bold, daring and engaging; Mistress Kate is unabashed when it comes to her craft and no role has proved to risqué for her to tackle with equal aplomb.  While other actors limit themselves, my dear Kate is not afraid to bare herself physically and emotionally for her craft; she becomes the character and is so doing draws me in and makes a connection.  And so it is with Little Children (2006) in which she stared alongside another favorite actress of mine, Jennifer Connolly, as well as Patrick Wilson.      

My Viewpoint

Despite its title, Little Children is not a film aimed at that audience, at all; this is a decidedly adult movie with strong adult themes and strong sexual content.  Indeed it is the adults in this film to which the title refers, as they spend almost the entire film in various states of selfish and adolescent immaturity.  It is only in the closing frames of the movie that the two principles grasp hold of the reins of adulthood responsibility and decide the grass on their side of the fence is just fine just a different shade of green.  Eventually most of us learn that save life-affirming message, but may not have nearly as much upheaval in our lives coming to that conclusion.

Kate Winslet ever the consummate practitioner of her art, turns in another riveting performance as the average looking woman (not so average in real life, so I wonder how she gets pegged with these roles) who manages to land the beautiful man only to find that was she has may not be that awful after all.

Jennifer Connolly is little more than ever diminishing eye-candy in this movie (can the woman get any skinnier?  Well yes, I suppose so, but I so miss the older, younger Jennifer, you know the voluptuous one that at least looked like a woman; who is this new and un-improved Jennifer Connolly?); her character is given very little to do or say, and Gregg Edelman as Richard even less.  Their part(s) in Little Children were minor but no less meaningful in that they do were acting like little self-absorbed children, putting their needs and desires ahead of their spouses, thereby pushing them into the hands and hearts of others.

Jackie Earle Haley deserves praise too as the misunderstood mentally challenged sex offender who everyone is afraid of except his mother.  Yes Ronnie and his ilk are boils on the hind-end of society, but the way Haley portrays the homely shut-in, elicits a modicum of compassion.

Quite honestly Little Children slipped under my movie radar, the buzz about it was so muted.  Unusual given it star power, but there you have it.  Like all movies that delve into the muddied pit that is human emotions Little Children called forth a myriad of emotions from this reviewer.  Each of us can identify with one or perhaps more of the characters, because we have been there, are there, or thinking about going there.  And so Little Children is a power reminder of the consequences of not growing up can be, or could be, and that is a lesson never to be lost.