The Little Things (2021)

The Little Things is self-consciouly a throw back to dark 90s serial killer dramas a la Se7en, or The Bone Collector. Written at that time but never made into a film until the screen writer, who became a successful director in his own right, decided to make it himself over 20 years later. He fills the film with references to the pop culture and fashion of the time, his story is filled with the cliches of the genre (grizzled old detective on the brink of retirement, a cold case that never got solved, the ambitious young officer with a lovely family), and a lot of dark lighting and blood. It all feels like its trying to hard to be all of that, none of it comes naturally.

What The Little Things does well is its casting. Washington, Malek, Leto, they all have Oscars and they are all great actors. None of them feel like they are phoning this one in either. What makes The Little Things work is how enjoyable it is to watch them all work, giving really great performances. While the script and story feel on the cliche side, the actors elevate it. The supporting cast is also strong, making the film far more compelling than it would be otherwise. 

Unfortunately the script is so hackneyed, hitting us over the head with its message, relying on trite cliches that we keep getting pulled out of the story. The script is the kind that keep having characters tell us what we are supposed to notice, giving monologues explaining their motivations. I have never really appreciated Hancock's overt simplifying style and this film doesn't change any of that. His style lacks much artfulness and focuses on a straight forward approach which I find dull and certainly doesn't help this story as it moves along.

So when the film reaches its conclusion, one I think could have really made for a fascinating resolution, I become the most disappointed in the film. Perhaps if the film had worked better stylistically it would have made the final moments so much more powerful. But the film tips its hand early on and keeps to a run of the mill feeling throughout, making it feel unfulfilling besides some strong performances in an otherwise forgettable film. 

The Little Things

Starring: Denzel Washington, Rami Malek, Jared Leto, Michael Hyatt, Chris Bauer, Natalie Morales, Isabel Arraiza, Sofia Vassilieva

Writer/Director: John Lee Hancock