"The Little Things" is a neo-noir crime thriller starring Denzel Washington, Rami Malek, and Jared Leto. I knew nothing about it going in and enjoyed it a fair amount. The film has received mixed reviews, I can see why, and while I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend it, I have to say it had its charm.
To me, "The Little Things" focuses greatly on style over substance. Even if it has themes and storytelling details that enhance it, for the most part, I found myself most engaged by the cinematography, acting, and music. It's a neo noir, so it's important that everything looks dark and badass. Shots go on for longer than might be necessary, and if you don't care to appreciate the shots, you'll probably be bored at some point. Not me though, I took as it was and let myself absorb each colour, glare, and angle. The acting is rather low-key for the most part, and it enhances the atmosphere. I found Rami Malek to be my favourite actor here; his voice and emotionless stare border on campy, but the film sells the detective fantasy very well. Denzel Washington leads the story well and has great chemistry with Malek. I wouldn't call myself a Jared Leto fan, but once I spaced out of any preconceived notions I had of him, I though he gave an amusing performance. Lastly, the music was minimalist and often out of tune, being the last piece to the movie's feel. It stood out to me and defined more than a few moments.
The story might be where most people will have conflicting opinions. I am surprised I enjoyed this as much as I did. Usually, I feel like I would actually hate this kind of story, but it clicked with me. It ends rather abruptly, in a completely different manner than you might think at first. There's an attempt at making a greater point about humanity, but I can't say it left the impact it was supposed to. Nonetheless, the twist was interesting and subverted my expectations well enough. It's not as great as it might have aimed to be, but it didn't leave me dissatisfied.
Overall, I'd recommend "The Little Things" for its atmosphere, a genuinely strong point. If you're looking for more, I do think you might be disappointed. Nothing groundbreaking, but a good film for what it tries to do.
Review by Martin SestrimskiBlockedParent2022-02-01T13:27:38Z
"The Little Things" is a neo-noir crime thriller starring Denzel Washington, Rami Malek, and Jared Leto. I knew nothing about it going in and enjoyed it a fair amount. The film has received mixed reviews, I can see why, and while I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend it, I have to say it had its charm.
To me, "The Little Things" focuses greatly on style over substance. Even if it has themes and storytelling details that enhance it, for the most part, I found myself most engaged by the cinematography, acting, and music. It's a neo noir, so it's important that everything looks dark and badass. Shots go on for longer than might be necessary, and if you don't care to appreciate the shots, you'll probably be bored at some point. Not me though, I took as it was and let myself absorb each colour, glare, and angle. The acting is rather low-key for the most part, and it enhances the atmosphere. I found Rami Malek to be my favourite actor here; his voice and emotionless stare border on campy, but the film sells the detective fantasy very well. Denzel Washington leads the story well and has great chemistry with Malek. I wouldn't call myself a Jared Leto fan, but once I spaced out of any preconceived notions I had of him, I though he gave an amusing performance. Lastly, the music was minimalist and often out of tune, being the last piece to the movie's feel. It stood out to me and defined more than a few moments.
The story might be where most people will have conflicting opinions. I am surprised I enjoyed this as much as I did. Usually, I feel like I would actually hate this kind of story, but it clicked with me. It ends rather abruptly, in a completely different manner than you might think at first. There's an attempt at making a greater point about humanity, but I can't say it left the impact it was supposed to. Nonetheless, the twist was interesting and subverted my expectations well enough. It's not as great as it might have aimed to be, but it didn't leave me dissatisfied.
Overall, I'd recommend "The Little Things" for its atmosphere, a genuinely strong point. If you're looking for more, I do think you might be disappointed. Nothing groundbreaking, but a good film for what it tries to do.