51 reviews
"The neighborhoods changing." Brian Jardine (Kinnear) is a struggling actor who has just lost his father. He heads to Brooklyn for the funeral and to deal with his fathers estate. He discovers that a small business was costing his father money, and is unable to continue the same deal. This causes tension with him and the owner of the business, which is further enhanced by the fact that Brian's son and the son of the owner are best friends. This is a really good movie that makes you think. You really struggle to decide who is in the right and can see both sides equally. The dynamic of the adults and the kids relationships are really fleshed out and are the true heart of the movie. That said, the movie could have been really good but it stayed a little monotone and the end just kind of happened. When you watch this you will see what I mean. Overall, the acting and writing are good, but it felt a little flat at some parts and really just came to an abrupt end, which hurt the movie a little bit. I disappointingly give this a B-.
- cosmo_tiger
- Dec 11, 2016
- Permalink
Greetings again from the darkness. There is a lot going on in this latest from writer/director Ira Sachs, and every bit of it provides some commentary on the basic everyday life struggles faced by normal folks. There is also a continuation of the ongoing NYC vs Brooklyn "friendly competition", as well a reminder of the downside of gentrification.
Mr. Sachs and his frequent collaborator and co-writer Mauricio Zacharias kick off the story with Greg Kinnear's Brian awkwardly exchanging greetings with Paulina Garcia' s (so terrific in Gloria, 2013) Leonor while the son's of these two share an equally awkward meeting. Leonor is the long-time tenant in the dress shop located below the apartment where Brian's recently deceased father resided.
Jake (Theo Tapitz) is an aspiring artist who doesn't easily make friends. Tony (Michael Barbieri) is a brash, fast-talking kid who is a bit more street wise and outgoing. The two boys quickly bond while at the same time, the parents begin a quiet battle. Brian's sister (played by Talia Balsam) demands her fair share of their father's estate through higher rent on Leonor's dress shop. It turns out their dad never raised the rent despite the number of years and the developing neighborhood. Kinnear's wife Kathy (the underrated Jennifer Ehle) tries to play peace-keeping negotiator so that the boys' friendship is not affected. As is often the case, the kids handle the situation better than the adults.
The film's best scenes feature the two young boys a blossoming childhood friendship that is all too rare on the big screen. If the boys weren't so severely impacted, the adult interactions could almost be white noise. Themes of money vs love, greed vs emotion, as well as recurring and various instances of rejection, all play a part in this multi-faceted story. Examples of rejection include a girl rejecting a boy, Brian's rejection as an actor, and the multiple rejections in the negotiations for the shop. Mr. Sachs has a real knack for putting real people in real situations that result in difficult decisions.
All of the acting is top notch, including Alfred Molina in a small role as Leonor's attorney and adviser. But it's the boys – Tapitz and especially Barbieri – that elevate the film. Watching the boys grow closer despite the all-too-close conflicts reminds a bit of the friendships in Rob Reiner's classic Stand By Me. Young Mr. Tapitz already has a few short films under his belt as a director, and Mr. Barbieri is certain to get many more opportunities to flash his on screen talent.
Mr. Sachs and his frequent collaborator and co-writer Mauricio Zacharias kick off the story with Greg Kinnear's Brian awkwardly exchanging greetings with Paulina Garcia' s (so terrific in Gloria, 2013) Leonor while the son's of these two share an equally awkward meeting. Leonor is the long-time tenant in the dress shop located below the apartment where Brian's recently deceased father resided.
Jake (Theo Tapitz) is an aspiring artist who doesn't easily make friends. Tony (Michael Barbieri) is a brash, fast-talking kid who is a bit more street wise and outgoing. The two boys quickly bond while at the same time, the parents begin a quiet battle. Brian's sister (played by Talia Balsam) demands her fair share of their father's estate through higher rent on Leonor's dress shop. It turns out their dad never raised the rent despite the number of years and the developing neighborhood. Kinnear's wife Kathy (the underrated Jennifer Ehle) tries to play peace-keeping negotiator so that the boys' friendship is not affected. As is often the case, the kids handle the situation better than the adults.
The film's best scenes feature the two young boys a blossoming childhood friendship that is all too rare on the big screen. If the boys weren't so severely impacted, the adult interactions could almost be white noise. Themes of money vs love, greed vs emotion, as well as recurring and various instances of rejection, all play a part in this multi-faceted story. Examples of rejection include a girl rejecting a boy, Brian's rejection as an actor, and the multiple rejections in the negotiations for the shop. Mr. Sachs has a real knack for putting real people in real situations that result in difficult decisions.
All of the acting is top notch, including Alfred Molina in a small role as Leonor's attorney and adviser. But it's the boys – Tapitz and especially Barbieri – that elevate the film. Watching the boys grow closer despite the all-too-close conflicts reminds a bit of the friendships in Rob Reiner's classic Stand By Me. Young Mr. Tapitz already has a few short films under his belt as a director, and Mr. Barbieri is certain to get many more opportunities to flash his on screen talent.
- ferguson-6
- Apr 30, 2016
- Permalink
This film tells the story of a boy who moves to a new place after his grandfather died. He befriends the neighbour and is very happy with his life, but grown up troubles get in the way, as his parents get into a rental dispute with the neighbour boy's mother.
I thought "Little Men" would be sweet and touching, but unfortunately I was not. The title may suggest that the film is the reality through the youngsters eyes, but the story is really viewed from a third perspective. The pace is slow, and not much really happens. I find Greg Kinnear's character indecisive and unassertive, as he does not deal with the rental problem quickly. It is as if the whole story is unnecessary because it would not have happened if he dealt with the rental problem quickly. I was bored by the film, and was disappointed.
I thought "Little Men" would be sweet and touching, but unfortunately I was not. The title may suggest that the film is the reality through the youngsters eyes, but the story is really viewed from a third perspective. The pace is slow, and not much really happens. I find Greg Kinnear's character indecisive and unassertive, as he does not deal with the rental problem quickly. It is as if the whole story is unnecessary because it would not have happened if he dealt with the rental problem quickly. I was bored by the film, and was disappointed.
So, when I saw the trailer, I think I may have been mislead about what the movie is really about. They used the star power of actor, Greg Kinnear to sell the movie, and even though he's a big (very big) part of the movie, his story is not the focus.
The heart of the movie is the instant bond that happens between the two young boys in this movie (From the trailer, I thought the title Little Men came from the fact that Kinnear was a man-child, which was not the case).
The kid that played the character Tony was the absolutely best. Watching him in the scenes interacting with all the characters was fantastic. He was not the main boy among the two boys, but he was steeling the show without trying.
Other than this kid, the movie does not grab me at all. The main plot of the two boys bond being tested by their parents disagreement over prime real estate in Brooklyn felt really superficial in it's attempts to get everyone on broad, and although every actor is talented, the delivery of the whole film is too bland.
So the kid Tony was the best part of the film that was overall too dry for my taste.
http://cinemagardens.com
The heart of the movie is the instant bond that happens between the two young boys in this movie (From the trailer, I thought the title Little Men came from the fact that Kinnear was a man-child, which was not the case).
The kid that played the character Tony was the absolutely best. Watching him in the scenes interacting with all the characters was fantastic. He was not the main boy among the two boys, but he was steeling the show without trying.
Other than this kid, the movie does not grab me at all. The main plot of the two boys bond being tested by their parents disagreement over prime real estate in Brooklyn felt really superficial in it's attempts to get everyone on broad, and although every actor is talented, the delivery of the whole film is too bland.
So the kid Tony was the best part of the film that was overall too dry for my taste.
http://cinemagardens.com
- subxerogravity
- Aug 14, 2016
- Permalink
There are three main types of movies, good ones, bad ones and ones that are overlooked by the public. Yes, it is not a masterpiece and has flaws, but still I enjoyed watching this and I was shocked to see the IMDb rating and the box office result. Though independent movies like this don't make much back it still should of made it's 2 million budget. The performance were almost all good, with the exception of a few, it was well paced so I could truly experience the chemistry growth between the two children who come from two entirely different backgrounds.
To conclude it is an underrated movie that brings out a range of emotions, but yes it is not perfect.
To conclude it is an underrated movie that brings out a range of emotions, but yes it is not perfect.
American philosopher William James said that, "Reality, life, experience, concreteness, immediacy, use what word you will, exceeds our logic, overflows, and surrounds it." This statement is especially true for children whose goals and dreams are subject not only to the real problems they face but are in part determined by their parent's ability to handle their own life. Ira Sachs affecting drama, Little Men, looks at life from the point of view of two young men on the cusp of adolescence whose friendship is threatened by a family squabble that has no easy solution. Co-written by the director and Mauricio Zacharias, the film follows on the heels of Sachs' 2014 Love is Strange, the story of a gay couple and how they are forced to vacate their New York City residence as a result of gentrification, a theme that plays also role in Little Men.
13-year-old boys, Jake (Theo Taplitz), a non-observing Jew and Tony (Michael Barbieri), who goes to Catholic school, are drawn together when Jake's parents, Brian (Greg Kinnear) and Kathy (Jennifer Ehle), move into an apartment in Brooklyn vacated by the death of Jake's grandfather. The apartment is located above a dress shop owned by his grandfather's long time friend, Chilean seamstress Leonor (Paulina Garcia, "Gloria"), who has been paying a lower rent as a result of their friendship. The boys possess exceptional artistic talent. Jake is a painter who hopes that his portfolio will land him in the LaGuardia School of the Performing Arts, even as his drawing of yellow stars against the background of a green sky is dismissed by his middle-brow, middle-school teacher.
Compared to the sensitive Jake who keeps to himself and has few friends, Tony, an aspiring actor, is outgoing with excess energy to burn, a dynamo whose best scene is a back and forth exchange with his drama coach, an exercise in letting go of restraint and reaching for full self-expression. Speaking rapidly with a Brooklyn accent, Tony, who wants to join Jake in the LaGuardia School, puts on a good act of being on top of things but the sadness stemming from the lack of a father in his life is visible. One is reminded of the Nigerian poet and novelist Ben Okri's reflection that, "the need to create art is often connected to a need to heal something." Brian informs Leonor that he has to triple her rent because his acting roles bring in little money and he does not want to have to completely rely on his wife's income. Though he tries to reach an amicable agreement, his position strengthens Leonor's intransigence and encourages Brian's sister (Talia Balsam) to push for her eviction in order to bolster the family's income. As their families bicker, Jake and Tony try their best to stay away from the conflict, riding their roller blades and scooters around the neighborhood with joyous abandon to the energizing score of Dickon Hinchliffe suggesting that this moment of their youth will last forever. Unfortunately, however, their parents only dig in their heels, Leonor snarkily asserting that she was closer to Brian's father than he was and Kathy tells Leonor that she is trained in conflict resolution though she does not offer any such resolution.
As Jake and Tony's friendship becomes strained, they embark on their secret weapon - the silent treatment - but the children's weapons against their more powerful parent's ends, as it often does in heartfelt tears. Little Men is a thoughtful and moving film that contains some of the year's most honest and nuanced performances from Taplitz, Barbieri and Kinnear. There are no villains in the film and each character has what is on the surface a reasonable position, but what is lost is the compassion to step back and see things from a broader perspective, one that transcends immediate needs.
Brian shows some awareness of this when he breaks down in tears while alone, suggesting that looking out for one's own self-interest while admirable in many respects may cut us off from relationships we cherish. Little Men operates on several levels. It is about gentrification and class interests, but its most potent message is about the miracle of friendship and coming to terms with growing up. Jake and Tony have found the kind of friendship that is rare for any age. Though they are different people with different interests, they have a bond that is akin to love, one that, like other attachments in life, will not last even though it will always contain moments so real that they may forever remain etched in the core of their being.
13-year-old boys, Jake (Theo Taplitz), a non-observing Jew and Tony (Michael Barbieri), who goes to Catholic school, are drawn together when Jake's parents, Brian (Greg Kinnear) and Kathy (Jennifer Ehle), move into an apartment in Brooklyn vacated by the death of Jake's grandfather. The apartment is located above a dress shop owned by his grandfather's long time friend, Chilean seamstress Leonor (Paulina Garcia, "Gloria"), who has been paying a lower rent as a result of their friendship. The boys possess exceptional artistic talent. Jake is a painter who hopes that his portfolio will land him in the LaGuardia School of the Performing Arts, even as his drawing of yellow stars against the background of a green sky is dismissed by his middle-brow, middle-school teacher.
Compared to the sensitive Jake who keeps to himself and has few friends, Tony, an aspiring actor, is outgoing with excess energy to burn, a dynamo whose best scene is a back and forth exchange with his drama coach, an exercise in letting go of restraint and reaching for full self-expression. Speaking rapidly with a Brooklyn accent, Tony, who wants to join Jake in the LaGuardia School, puts on a good act of being on top of things but the sadness stemming from the lack of a father in his life is visible. One is reminded of the Nigerian poet and novelist Ben Okri's reflection that, "the need to create art is often connected to a need to heal something." Brian informs Leonor that he has to triple her rent because his acting roles bring in little money and he does not want to have to completely rely on his wife's income. Though he tries to reach an amicable agreement, his position strengthens Leonor's intransigence and encourages Brian's sister (Talia Balsam) to push for her eviction in order to bolster the family's income. As their families bicker, Jake and Tony try their best to stay away from the conflict, riding their roller blades and scooters around the neighborhood with joyous abandon to the energizing score of Dickon Hinchliffe suggesting that this moment of their youth will last forever. Unfortunately, however, their parents only dig in their heels, Leonor snarkily asserting that she was closer to Brian's father than he was and Kathy tells Leonor that she is trained in conflict resolution though she does not offer any such resolution.
As Jake and Tony's friendship becomes strained, they embark on their secret weapon - the silent treatment - but the children's weapons against their more powerful parent's ends, as it often does in heartfelt tears. Little Men is a thoughtful and moving film that contains some of the year's most honest and nuanced performances from Taplitz, Barbieri and Kinnear. There are no villains in the film and each character has what is on the surface a reasonable position, but what is lost is the compassion to step back and see things from a broader perspective, one that transcends immediate needs.
Brian shows some awareness of this when he breaks down in tears while alone, suggesting that looking out for one's own self-interest while admirable in many respects may cut us off from relationships we cherish. Little Men operates on several levels. It is about gentrification and class interests, but its most potent message is about the miracle of friendship and coming to terms with growing up. Jake and Tony have found the kind of friendship that is rare for any age. Though they are different people with different interests, they have a bond that is akin to love, one that, like other attachments in life, will not last even though it will always contain moments so real that they may forever remain etched in the core of their being.
- howard.schumann
- Aug 27, 2016
- Permalink
- Amari-Sali
- Nov 13, 2016
- Permalink
"Little Men" is a film I just saw at a film festival. While I have nothing against the movie, I did find that it left me feeling a bit flat...like the film just didn't quite hit the mark. The ending certainly contributes to this feeling.
When the film begins, a family moves to Brooklyn from their home in Manhatten. This is because the grandfather has died and they've decided to move into Grandpa's home. The son, Jake, is a loner who loves to draw and you assume this move will be tough on him. However, their downstairs renter has a son, Tony and the boys soon become best buddies. But when a rent dispute occurs between Jake and Tony's family the story comes unraveled and just ends.
The picture has some nice things going for it...such as Michael Barbieri's nice performance as Tony. But the ending left me and some others in the audience a bit disappointed as the resolution just seemed flat.
When the film begins, a family moves to Brooklyn from their home in Manhatten. This is because the grandfather has died and they've decided to move into Grandpa's home. The son, Jake, is a loner who loves to draw and you assume this move will be tough on him. However, their downstairs renter has a son, Tony and the boys soon become best buddies. But when a rent dispute occurs between Jake and Tony's family the story comes unraveled and just ends.
The picture has some nice things going for it...such as Michael Barbieri's nice performance as Tony. But the ending left me and some others in the audience a bit disappointed as the resolution just seemed flat.
- planktonrules
- Apr 8, 2016
- Permalink
I just saw "Little Men" last night at the Chicago Critics' Film Festival. Wow, what a touching and wonderful film! The New York Writer/Director of "Little Men" was in attendance and spoke before the screening, where he thanked one of the local Chicago producers, which was Fathers Rights' pioneer Jeffery Leving. He is the top family law attorney in the nation. Leving is a huge advocate for the powerful positive force of paternal involvement in children's lives. There are countless statistics that show the positive effects of father involvement, which is what I suspect why Leving got involved in this movie.
I mention this, because this great written and directed film highlights the contrast of a family unit where there is father involvement in one family, and father absence in the other. Tony hardly sees or has contact with his father in the film, because his father lives in Africa. The lack of Tony's father being present in his life negatively affects him in this film. Jake, the other boy, has his dad in his life, played wonderfully by Greg Kinnear, and is able to get the support he needs from his father in the hope of achieving his dreams. Tony, who so dearly wants a father in his life even reaches out to Jake's Dad to give him advice and support for his future. This film highlights the positive effects an involved father can have on their children. Bravo!
I always wanted to write film reviews, and this powerful film has moved me to do so. Go see this film!
I mention this, because this great written and directed film highlights the contrast of a family unit where there is father involvement in one family, and father absence in the other. Tony hardly sees or has contact with his father in the film, because his father lives in Africa. The lack of Tony's father being present in his life negatively affects him in this film. Jake, the other boy, has his dad in his life, played wonderfully by Greg Kinnear, and is able to get the support he needs from his father in the hope of achieving his dreams. Tony, who so dearly wants a father in his life even reaches out to Jake's Dad to give him advice and support for his future. This film highlights the positive effects an involved father can have on their children. Bravo!
I always wanted to write film reviews, and this powerful film has moved me to do so. Go see this film!
- Mark-petrolis
- May 22, 2016
- Permalink
Little Men is a small but wonderful gem of a film. It is not great, heck it doesn't live up its potential, but there are some elements that make this worth watching.
The movie is about two teenagers from Brooklyn that become best friends. Jake Jardine is a timid artist and Tony Calvelli is more outgoing and an aspiring actor. Jake's dad (Greg Kinnear) is a struggling actor, so it all seems to fit together well. Jake's grandfather owned a dress shop and Tony's mother was the most valuable employee. Jake and Tony meet at the funeral, but it also becomes the battleground for the parents.
Jake and Tony's friendship is touching. They play video games, joke around, roller-blade, etc. We know that they have each other's back no matter what. The only problem is we don't see much of this. At 85 minutes, more stuff could have been built around the kids. Their friendship is upstaged by the parents. Bad move.
The parents' rivalry is so uninteresting. Who cares about a silly old lease? We want to see that blossoming friendship between Jake and Tony. I'm not saying that the parental aspect isn't important, because it really is. The movie is about the impact that feuding parents have on best friends. I just simply disagree with the time that was devoted to each story. The only part of Jake and Tony's story I didn't like was them going to a teenage nightclub. Other than that, I enjoyed every minute of the time spent with them. When the kids are brought into the mix of the parents, it is very well done. But it is over much too quickly. It also featured a bad ending that could easily have been avoided.
This movie needs to be remade sometime in the next few years. It had so much potential and everybody can see where they went wrong. Is this a bad movie? No. Some things are great. Just enough to give a thumbs up. But I would love to see a revised version of this.
3/4
The movie is about two teenagers from Brooklyn that become best friends. Jake Jardine is a timid artist and Tony Calvelli is more outgoing and an aspiring actor. Jake's dad (Greg Kinnear) is a struggling actor, so it all seems to fit together well. Jake's grandfather owned a dress shop and Tony's mother was the most valuable employee. Jake and Tony meet at the funeral, but it also becomes the battleground for the parents.
Jake and Tony's friendship is touching. They play video games, joke around, roller-blade, etc. We know that they have each other's back no matter what. The only problem is we don't see much of this. At 85 minutes, more stuff could have been built around the kids. Their friendship is upstaged by the parents. Bad move.
The parents' rivalry is so uninteresting. Who cares about a silly old lease? We want to see that blossoming friendship between Jake and Tony. I'm not saying that the parental aspect isn't important, because it really is. The movie is about the impact that feuding parents have on best friends. I just simply disagree with the time that was devoted to each story. The only part of Jake and Tony's story I didn't like was them going to a teenage nightclub. Other than that, I enjoyed every minute of the time spent with them. When the kids are brought into the mix of the parents, it is very well done. But it is over much too quickly. It also featured a bad ending that could easily have been avoided.
This movie needs to be remade sometime in the next few years. It had so much potential and everybody can see where they went wrong. Is this a bad movie? No. Some things are great. Just enough to give a thumbs up. But I would love to see a revised version of this.
3/4
- Movie-ManDan
- Feb 28, 2017
- Permalink
Had this movie been more about the boys and less about the hard-to-like adults, it could have been something pure, fresh, exciting. Unfortunately, it turns out to be nothing but a constant skidding into the margins of a plot that never gets past the original idea.
Was this filmed with the sole purpose of indulging the viewer with a superbly shot, colorful urban reality? It gains ground there. Maybe we were supposed to pour out our emotional responses on account of Greg Kinnear's, admittedly very talented, ever-downcast writhing eyebrows? Because that would be another minor win for Little Men.
Alas, I don't think either of those points carry any sort of validity so, all in all, it all wraps up into a sad 'no'.
Was this filmed with the sole purpose of indulging the viewer with a superbly shot, colorful urban reality? It gains ground there. Maybe we were supposed to pour out our emotional responses on account of Greg Kinnear's, admittedly very talented, ever-downcast writhing eyebrows? Because that would be another minor win for Little Men.
Alas, I don't think either of those points carry any sort of validity so, all in all, it all wraps up into a sad 'no'.
- pauliecorleone-72628
- Jan 5, 2017
- Permalink
I feel like this film was kind of marketed as a comedy, and perhaps that's why the seriousness of the situation at the core of the film really surprised me. It's not that the film is a tragedy, but instead it takes an honest and very real look at these kinds of situations. It's a very carefully and deliberately paced film, and the director has a great handle of the film's tone and atmosphere and is able to really bring the dramatic beats of the story to life. The ensemble cast also seems to have a great handle on the material, never overplaying or underplaying the situation to become unbelievable or become a melodrama. I definitely recommend this and I think it really gives a fascinating portrayal of family and the bonds that exist and how real life can get in the middle of that.
- Red_Identity
- Jan 5, 2017
- Permalink
Rating this film PG for "smoking" (it includes an adult cigarette smoker) is the biggest travesty here... There's nothing at all offensive in terms of strong language or sexual situations to warrant anything but a G-rating for this already-came- of-age film. A smaller travesty is that the film is obviously an older reworked script, updated with cell phones and gentrification and featuring athletic boys who avoid pools and implausibly keep their shirts on throughout (as is customary in America now to avoid accusations of child pornography - by contrast, the G-rated coming- of-age French film "My Father's Glory" from the 1990s has boys of a similar age in slo-mo full-frontal nudity). If lusty teen sexuality is what a viewer anticipates with a title like "Little Men," look elsewhere. That being said, the resulting movie is a sublimely watchable and brilliantly engaging story about gentrification and the intimate drama that urban renewal causes. Superb acting and a realistic premise should keep most viewers of serious cinema somewhat rapt and definitely impressed. Yet the finale may be something of a let-down to those who expect an intensive resolution instead of a climax that meanders to a halt.
- woodcoinmagazine
- Jul 29, 2017
- Permalink
- Horst_In_Translation
- Feb 11, 2017
- Permalink
"Little Men" (2016 release; 92 min.) brings the story of two young men, Jake and Tony. Jake is a 13 yr. old only child and after his grandfather passes away, his dad inherits the Brooklyn building. It's not long before mom Kathy, dad Brian and Jake move in (more room than their cramped Manhattan place). At the ground level of the building there is a small store (a tailor/clothing store) rented out to Leonor, a Latina woman who has a 13 yr. old son Tony. As it happens, Jake and Tony immediately hit it off and become fast (and inseparable) friends. All seems well, until one day Jake's parents need to confront Leonor over the sweetheart (and below market) lease deal which Brain's dad had given to Leonor... At this point we're 15-20 min, into the movie but to tell you more of the plot would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.
Couple of comments: this is the latest movie from writer-director Ira Sachs, best known for the unexpected modestly successful indie movie "Love Is Strange" a few years back. Here he goes a very different tact, examining how 13 yr. olds deal with their parents getting into a business dispute. The first 15-20 min, of the movie, when everyone gets along with everyone, cleverly set you up for some unexpected but very real life issues: money is tight for everyone, and you like all the major characters, yet some (or perhaps all?) will get hurt down the road. The movie is helped immensely by top notch acting performances, starting with the two boys (played by newcomers). Greg Kinnear brings an eye-opening performance as the struggling actor/dad/Brian. I can't recall Kinnear displaying such a conflicted state of mind as in this one. Also mega-kudos to Chilean actress Pauline Garcia, who delighted us a few years ago with her performance in "Gloria" (and which should have garnered an Oscar nomination, frankly). The role she plays here couldn't be further from "Gloria", but it is an equally stunning performance.
"Little Men" opened with positive buzz at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, and it finally opened this past weekend at my local art-house theater here in Cincinnati. The Wednesday early evening screening where I saw this at turned out to be a private screening: I was literally the only person in the theater. That is a darn shame, as this movie truly deserves to be seen. In fact, I'll just state it: this movie is one of the five best movies I've seen this year (and I see a lot of them). If you are in the mood for a top-notch family/neighbors relationship drama with loads of top acting performances, you cannot go wrong with this, be it in the theater, on Amazon Instant Video, or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray. "Little Men" is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Couple of comments: this is the latest movie from writer-director Ira Sachs, best known for the unexpected modestly successful indie movie "Love Is Strange" a few years back. Here he goes a very different tact, examining how 13 yr. olds deal with their parents getting into a business dispute. The first 15-20 min, of the movie, when everyone gets along with everyone, cleverly set you up for some unexpected but very real life issues: money is tight for everyone, and you like all the major characters, yet some (or perhaps all?) will get hurt down the road. The movie is helped immensely by top notch acting performances, starting with the two boys (played by newcomers). Greg Kinnear brings an eye-opening performance as the struggling actor/dad/Brian. I can't recall Kinnear displaying such a conflicted state of mind as in this one. Also mega-kudos to Chilean actress Pauline Garcia, who delighted us a few years ago with her performance in "Gloria" (and which should have garnered an Oscar nomination, frankly). The role she plays here couldn't be further from "Gloria", but it is an equally stunning performance.
"Little Men" opened with positive buzz at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, and it finally opened this past weekend at my local art-house theater here in Cincinnati. The Wednesday early evening screening where I saw this at turned out to be a private screening: I was literally the only person in the theater. That is a darn shame, as this movie truly deserves to be seen. In fact, I'll just state it: this movie is one of the five best movies I've seen this year (and I see a lot of them). If you are in the mood for a top-notch family/neighbors relationship drama with loads of top acting performances, you cannot go wrong with this, be it in the theater, on Amazon Instant Video, or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray. "Little Men" is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
- paul-allaer
- Sep 6, 2016
- Permalink
In Ira Sachs film 'Little Men', a boy moves with his family to a gentrifying district of Brooklyn when he hinherits his father's property. He makes friends with the son of his dad's tennant; but the relationship is ruptured when he father attempts to up the rent. His friend's mother argues that the father had wanted her to stay there; but in the end, she has to move on. A problem with the story is that she is effectively arguing that her friendship with the deceased man should give her the right to stay in perpetuity; one can feel some sympathy for her, but her refusal to acknowlege how the world works is frustrating. It's hard to see anyone in the new landlord's position ultimately doing anything other than what he does. I also felt the film relies a little too much on its soundtrack to convey emotion; we don't actually see that much of the two boys' interaction, even as the music encourages us to believe that it is warm and deep. In the end, the middle class kid goes to art school, while his friend just disappears from the narrative. A better film about gentrifcation might have been less emotionally manipulative, but more centred on the practical hardship of having to move in the face of rising rents.
- paul2001sw-1
- Jan 7, 2021
- Permalink
- george.schmidt
- Aug 9, 2016
- Permalink
Sundance veteran Ira Sachs continues to use legendary Japanese filmmaker Yasujiro Ozu as his starting point to explore contemporary New York City. Like his previous gem LOVE IS STRANGE (2014), which structured itself around Ozu's TOKYO STORY (1953), Sachs tackles the difficult issue of gentrification and makes it especially challenging to his viewers by presenting the story from the gentrifier's perspective.
Using both of Ozu's films I WAS BORN BUT (1932) and GOOD MORNiNG (1960), the moral dilemmas of modern society encroaching on the present (and perhaps old fashioned) world is explored from a child's viewpoint. Sachs seems to have nestled himself nicely into a mature genre of strong character-driven, social issue films.
With standout performances by both the glorious Chilean actress Paulina Garcia (from 2013's Gloria) and newcomer Michael Barbieri, who plays the wise-talking "little man" Tony with the kind of natural charm that Anthony Michael Hall projected in John Hughes' SiXTEEN CANDLES (1984) and Jodie Foster in Martin Scorsese's ALiCE DOESN'T LiVE HERE ANYMORE (1974). Ira Sachs is on an Ozu roll. Let's hope he reimagines LATE SPRiNG (1949) or EARLY SUMMER (1951) next.
Using both of Ozu's films I WAS BORN BUT (1932) and GOOD MORNiNG (1960), the moral dilemmas of modern society encroaching on the present (and perhaps old fashioned) world is explored from a child's viewpoint. Sachs seems to have nestled himself nicely into a mature genre of strong character-driven, social issue films.
With standout performances by both the glorious Chilean actress Paulina Garcia (from 2013's Gloria) and newcomer Michael Barbieri, who plays the wise-talking "little man" Tony with the kind of natural charm that Anthony Michael Hall projected in John Hughes' SiXTEEN CANDLES (1984) and Jodie Foster in Martin Scorsese's ALiCE DOESN'T LiVE HERE ANYMORE (1974). Ira Sachs is on an Ozu roll. Let's hope he reimagines LATE SPRiNG (1949) or EARLY SUMMER (1951) next.
- freekyfridays
- Mar 14, 2016
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