The Little Things is not a copy of Se7en, as some are saying. But it is also without horror and tension, and with an unsatisfying twist.
The Little Things Synopsis
Former L.A. Sheriff’s detective Joe Deacon is a man living under the shadows of his past failures; specifically, a serial killing case he was unable to solve. When dispatched to the Los Angeles County to collect evidence, he comes face to face with his past demons, in the form of a new string of grisly murders. His past reputation also draws the attention of Jim Baxter, the young LASD detective investigating the new killings. Before long, the duo confronts the crafty Albert Sparma. This strange character, weird and quietly sinister, may or may not be responsible for both series of murders.
Snappy Review
As any self-respecting film buff would know, movie-going is like a box of chocolates.
You can seldom predict the outcome, as in how satisfying a show would be.
Sometimes, a movie you’ve looked forward to for months ends up being woefully disappointing. Often, the polar opposite happens too.
On top of which you have the weird ones like The Little Things. You know, the pieces at the corners of the box that look alright and taste fine on first bite, but in the end, is just too mixed in taste to enable easy judgement.
Yeah, mixed. Or should I say, weird?
But before I elaborate, let me be clear on certain things. Plodding as this classic crime thriller is, it is technically superior. The ambience is uniformly unsettling. The acting is superior too. Jared Leto, as is well known by now, steals the show in every scene he’s in.
The actual killings, presented mostly in snatches of the aftermaths, effortlessly terrify as well.
Which then leads you to expect one helluva showdown, or revelation. A showdown you’d also expect to be truly grisly, with how the horrific conclusion of Se7en was being echoed everywhere.
Without giving away the ending, let me just say, everything abruptly dives into a quagmire that’s unexpected and possibly for most viewers, mockingly unsatisfying. To be clear again, it’s not an absurd twist; I’d even agree that it’s thoughtful. Maybe also one that encourages you to rewatch to catch clues you might have missed.
Just that, it’s not a development the entire show has set you up for. It’s hinted at, sporadically, but certainly not what you’d expect to take centre stage at the epilogue.
Add to which, there’s just not a lot of intense moments throughout the show. Even the climatic chapter quickly fizzles in tension.
Hate to put it this way but this is a movie that I’d remember for cinematic style and acting, but not for story. It will also be that piece of half-eaten chocolate that I’d discard with the box, without much regret.
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