The Little Things pays homage to 90s serial killer cop dramas and features award-winning actors that deserve to be in a better movie together.
Screen icons Denzel Washington and Jared Leto feature alongside future icon Rami Malek in what is a rudimentary cop drama, set in the 90s, with a tone similar to films of the same genre from back then, films like Seven (1991), The Bone Collector (1999), and the all-time great, The Silence of the Lambs (1991). While there were some bonafide classics of the era (see Seven and Lambs), eventually, the dark serial killer cop dramas from that time faded away after becoming too unoriginal, as audiences got tired of seeing the same-old-same-old from the genre. The Little Things suffers from the same fate that led to the serial killer sub-genre’s demise some twenty-plus years ago.
In the film, Denzel Washington plays Joe ‘Deke’ Deacon, a burned-out former detective, now working as a deputy in a small town, living a quieter life. He’s drawn back into the game after being sent into the city on a basic task to collect some evidence, and comes across the hot-shot new detective Jim Baxter (Rami Malek), who’s taken over his former role, and is in the midst of working a case that involves a serial killer who has been murdering young women. Deke’s curiosity gets the better of him, and he decides to stick around and join forces with Jim, the case striking too close to home for him to step away. The new duo’s prime suspect comes in the form of Jared Leto’s Albert Sparma, a dirtbag who seems to know more about the crimes than he’s letting on. Dark pasts are revealed and secrets are uncovered as the detectives head deep down the rabbit hole.
The Little Things focuses on the torturous nature that comes with the job of being a homicide detective, and the effects it can have on the soul. Washington plays a character with a dark past all-too-well, and you only need to look into his eyes in every scene to see he is suffering. It’s a trait that few actors have come to possess, and Washington here proves to be still at the top of his game. Because of Washington’s second-nature acting abilities, however, there are times in the film where it feels like he’s phoning it in. Likewise, Malek, who is full of talent, isn’t given much of an opportunity to show his range. Leto is the most engaging of the principal cast, turning in a creepy, subdued performance.
Where the film suffers the most is in its lack of suspense. It works well as a character study and as a look into the emotional and mental impact the job can have on a detective, but it doesn’t do enough to keep the audience on the edge of their seats. It plays out more like a procedural cop drama than a thriller, ultimately hurting its engagement with the audience. The film is not without some redeeming qualities, however, as there are some nice reveals and twists towards the end. Likewise, the film’s impressive cinematography and score make the journey a lot more tolerable.
The Little Things is strong as a psychological character study but weakened by an unengaging story and flat performances. The film lacks the finesse of the greats that it pays tribute to, placing it somewhere in the pile of mostly forgettable serial killer drama films.
Fun Fact:
Writer/Director John Lee Hancock originally wrote the screenplay for the film almost 30 years ago (1993) after completing his work on the Clint Eastwood picture A Perfect World.
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