Todd Field's latest masterpiece, "Little Children," is magnificent from the start; its execution is nearly flawless. Not only is "Little Children" dramatic and devastating, but at moments humor shines through, thanks to author Tom Perrotta, who helped to turn his acclaimed novel into a stellar screenplay. This great writing, combined with Field's directing and some high-quality acting, make this part-tragedy, part-satire - and all parts hit home.
"Little Children" deals with the lives of stay-at-home mom, Sarah (Kate Winslet), and stay-at-home dad, Brad (Patrick Wilson). Through the innocent playground meeting of Sarah's daughter and Brad's son, the two adults forge a common bond over mutual unhappiness and desperation, and ultimately, as one would expect, this leads to a powerful affair.
Brad's wife, Kathy (Jennifer Connelly), is the one wearing the pants in the family. She quickly becomes discontented in the relationship and seeks out her mother for advice on marital and financial matters. It appears that Kathy's only real pleasure in life is derived from her son, as her husband's failed bar exam is a constant source of unrest for her. And his new fling on the side isn't doing wonders for their relationship, either.
Meanwhile, the community experiences widespread fear as convicted sexual predator, Ronnie J. McGorvey (Jackie Earle Haley), has returned home from his stint in prison. Self-appointed watch-guard of the felon, Larry Hedges (Noah Emmerich) patrols McGorvey's home night after night, but ironically, the "white knight" of the neighborhood is keeping some dark secrets of his own - even from Brad, his only friend left in town.
Field obviously has the capacity for greatness and put it to use in this beautifully made film. His attention to detail pays off. This director has talent, as evidenced by his much applauded and Academy Award-nominated film, "In the Bedroom" (2001). He skillfully picks up on the importance of sound isolation, camera angles, literary metaphor, satire and character.
Also pertinent to the characters' development are the actors starring in "Little Children." Winslet shined years ago in "Sense and Sensibility" (1995), and more recently in "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" (2004) and "Finding Neverland" (2004). Connelly earned an Academy Award for her supporting role in "A Beautiful Mind" (2001). This cast is nothing if not qualified.
Unlike his famous co-stars, Wilson is a relative unknown. Though he starred in "Phantom of the Opera" (2004), he's had a rather limited r?©sum?© in the film industry, with most of his acclaim generated by occasional Broadway performances. Here, Wilson steals scenes away from veterans Connelly and Winslet by effectively conveying Brad's depression and desire to keep others happy.
"Little Children" is driven by its characters, which Perrotta vividly describes in his original novel. In the film, however, without the benefit of written text, Field provides us with great on-screen narration. Not all movies can pull this off, but "Little Children" does, and it's not out-of-place or overdone. Rather, the audio descriptions - presumably text from the novel - are hysterical and gripping, providing the audience with inside information and back story that, otherwise, time simply could not allow. As it is, the film runs well over two hours.
Ultimately, all of the components of "Little Children" combine, forming a grand climax of sorts. While it is not necessarily conclusive, the story's previous strong frame and sequence of events makes up for it. "Little Children" presents genuine people without easy solutions and many questions without answers. It's a realistic film of severity and spoof. The characters and their flaws are real and tragic; they are petty, disloyal, jealous and indecent. This film is a well-told story unsuitable for "Little Children."
