The Little Things

Good movie!

Good movie!

Good movie!

Good movie!

Good movie!

source: The Little Things

Joe Deacon, A Deputy Sherriff in a regional police force, is sent to LA to fetch some evidence for a case. In LA he is reunited with many former colleagues as he was a homicide detective there. He is also drawn into a perplexing serial killer case, the details of which are very familiar. Reasonably interesting, though had the potential to be brilliant. Started off well, with decent character development and an intriguing plot. Good casting and performances too. Denzel Washington puts in his usual solid performance, Rami Malek is good and Jered Leto does what he does best - act as a weird, off-the-wall character. However, just when this looks set to be heading for something fantastic, cracks start to appear. The plot is less watertight and plausible and then it suddenly takes a rather tangential direction. This direction could have been a masterstroke if handled correctly but unfortunately it isn't. The ending is quite the damp squib. It is dressed up to appear quite profound but it isn't. So quite disappointing in the end. If writer-director John Lee Hancock had stuck with the initial plot and made a tension-filled crime drama this could have been great. Instead he tries to take it in another direction and while this is more original, his plot is weak, making for an unsatisfying conclusion.

Judging by the boasted list of potential directors listed on the main page (god only knows why theyd do such a dumb thing), all of whom PASSED on being involved I might add, should be enough to tell you what level of film this is.. i.e., not good. And sure enough, 3/4 way through and I shut it down. Another Denzel epic fail.

I think the naysayers for this movie are somewhat missing the point, the story behind the story as it were. Yes, it's a murder mystery, but beyond that it's about Joe 'Deke' Deacon (Denzel Washington) attempting to prevent fellow law officer Jim Baxter (Rami Malek) from falling into the same depressing frame of mind that's been his personal torment for the past five years. In an admittedly very dark scene in the latter half of the picture, a flashback depicts how Deke accidentally shot an innocent person in the course of hunting down a murderer. Deke's guilt over the fact, even after a coroner fabricated the cause of death, was enough to force him into an unintended leave from the department and the breakup of his marriage. Landing a position in a lesser capacity at a police department in a nearby county, Deke gets involved in a murder case when he's sent on a gopher mission to pick up evidence in Los Angeles. He gets a mixed reaction from his former colleagues, while initially getting the cold shoulder treatment from Baxter, a hot shot detective with the slightest hint of superiority. As the serial murder investigation in LA appears to narrow down to a likely suspect, both Deke and Baxter seek to make the pieces fit against the slimy Albert Leonard Sparma (Jared Leto). Sparma manages to outmaneuver the pair of frustrated cops with an infuriating display of conceit and arrogance, leading Baxter to try a different approach. Sparma's insistence that a murder victim is buried in a lonely desert location leads Baxter to dig up nearly a dozen parcels of empty dirt. With his frustration and anger mounting, Baxter decks Sparma with a shovel, unintentionally killing him. Deke, who was present and witness to the Sparma's death, returns to the city in Sparma's vehicle to cover Baxter's tracks. In doing so, Deke reveals a dishonorable side to his character, especially with his advice to Baxter to 'forget about' Sparma and move on with his career. To pinpoint blame where both cops thought it should have belonged, Deke buys a red barrette that one of the murder victims wore, and has it delivered to Jim in an attempt to assuage some of his guilt. One's sense is that this won't be enough to relieve Baxter's remorse for acting impulsively, his sense of self worth completely shattered by the experience. The idea that Sparma was guilty or innocent of the series of murders in LA and Fern County is left an open question to my mind. He may have been the killer, but with no tangible evidence, he felt compelled to inflame the pair of cops breathing down his neck. If you paid attention, the film's sound track seemed to support the idea that Deke and Jim were on the right trail. Not only did Deke have a fondness for nostalgic Sixties music, but the ones heard on the radio in Baxter's car included 'My Guy' and 'I Will Follow Him', affirming the idea that they were soon to get their man.

Academy Award Winners Denzel Washington, Jared Leto, and Remi Malek star in the new thriller "The Little Things" and combine to make very gripping and memorable performances. The script was reportedly written over thirty years ago by John Lee Hancock who has gone on to write, direct, and produce multiple films of note in the decades since he first created the screenplay. The film is set in 1990 and involves a cop named Joe Deacon (Denzel Washington), who travels from his small California town to Los Angeles to get information on a suspect. Joe has a history in L.A as he used to be a homicide detective for the department which combined with his meltdown while obsessing over a murder case has caused him more than a bit of notoriety. Jim Baxter (Remi Malek) is the hotshot new Detective who has been leading the investigation into a string of unsolved murders. Joe accompanies Jim to a new crime scene and notes some similarities with his unsolved case. Joe takes some personal days and begins to do some legwork on the case and reports his findings to Jim which causes Joe to remember aspects of what drove him to his marital, health, and career issues as he is unable and unwilling to let the case drop. When a prime suspect no longer fits into the picture; suspicions fall on a crime enthusiast named Albert (Jared Leto) who seems to check all the boxes but is also taking delight in winding up Joe which causes Jim to question if he is a viable suspect or just an oddball who gets off on crimes and winding up the cops but does not actually commit any offenses. As the delicate dance unfolds between the characters the fact that this is an era before Cell Phones, DNA tests, GPS, and elaborate computer networks helps underscore the plight of the officers. If the film was set in a modern setting much of the suspense and uncertainty of the story and characters would be moot thanks to technology. As the game of cat and mouse unfolds between the characters Jim learns how a person can become obsessed with a case and Joe attempts to mentor him from the success and failures of his life which includes some gray areas. Aside from the strong performances and engaging story what makes "The Little Things" work is that it is a film that does not take the Hollywood fallbacks of extended gunfights, car chases, and over the top action scenes. What it does show is real and flawed characters that are doing what they think is right and does not attempt to wrap things up in a nice and tidy package. The film uses the element of doubt to not only drive the story but to help motizate the actions of the characters and underscore the elements of uncertainty exists in some investigations. ambiguity also puts the focus on how investigations and procedures have evolved with the resources available to police. The film will appear in cinemas and HBO Max and is a compelling and well-crafted thriller that is not to be missed. 4.5 stars out of 5