Little Children
Kate Winslet swaps Titanic and Sense and Sensibility for something altogether less sympathetic
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Thursday, 02, Nov 2006 06:21
Directed by Todd Field, out November 3rd at cinemas, starring Kate Winslet, Patrick Wilson and Jennifer Connelly, running time 130 minutes.
In a nutshell.
Dark, funny, perceptive, gripping, oppressive.
What's it all about?
Little Children attempts to explore the childish side lingering in those pretending to be grown-up, including the prom king, the bully, the outcast, the popular girls and the tom boy.
Sarah is a frustrated housewife living in suburbia and failing to bond with either her daughter or the desperate housewives that surround her. House husband Brad, nicknamed the Prom King, provides a seductive retreat at first and the two embark on an affair to escape the unwelcome realities of their adult lives. But soon the strain of balancing the fantasy and reality of infidelity proves just as stressful as the world they're seeking to escape, forcing some grown-up decisions from two adults intent on acting like little children. Meanwhile, the arrival of a convicted paedophile in their perfect neighbourhood induces moral panic and begs questions surrounding redemption and violence.
Who's in it?
Winslet stars as Sarah, swapping the corset-bound characters we are used to seeing her play in films like Titanic and Sense and Sensibility for one as unsympathetic as her breakthrough role as a school girl killer in Heavenly Creatures. Winslet is superb as usual, injecting realism and humour into this challenging performance.
She shares the screen with relative newcomer Wilson, probably best known for his compelling performance in Hard Candy. Filmgoers impressed with his deft handling of dark subject matter in that film will not be disappointed with his portrayal of Brad.
Connelly co-stars as Brad's "bombshell" wife, carrying off her relatively small role with an impressive depth of character.
As an example.
Sarah: "It's the hunger, the hunger for an alternative and the refusal to accept a life of unhappiness."
Likelihood of a trip to the Oscars
High and across a number of categories. Unless some stunning performances come out between now and March, Winslet is guaranteed a nomination for Best Actress. The film is also a strong contender in the Best Adapted Screenplay category and Best Director, both of which would see Todd Field go home triumphant.
What the others say
"Domestic bliss. Sly, sexy adult drama with brains and balls. Rangey turns all round, with stand-out Winslet back on fiery Eternal Sunshine form." - Total Film: Four stars
"Sure to raise heckles in the tabloid press, this is complex, thought-provoking cinema." - Empire: Four stars.
So is it any good?
Little Children has quite rightly been hailed as one of the contenders for American masterpiece of the year. Although it occasionally suffers from the slackness of pace that characterised Field's last outing, In The Bedroom, its subject matter remains compelling and the urge the audience feels for a resolution is driven more by suspense then boredom.
The film has drawn comparisons to American Beauty, although these are rather lazy and attributable mainly to the shared reliance on a narrator and exploration of the now well-trodden themes of suburban façade. After a glut of similar films, no cinema goer is surprised to learn that something black lurks behind the white picket fence of Hollywood suburbia. However, Little Children succeeds in revisiting these themes with a fresh approach, aided in no small part by the performances of the leads.
8.5/10
Kate Webb