The Little Things

Crime thrillers have been around for so long that their formula has become all too familiar nowadays. While it's not an area I don't get into that much, it's a genre that I can enjoy when it's done well. What helps those succeed is how there is solid tension built, characters are given interested material to chew on, and the story allows for the stakes with the people involved to reach an engaging climax. This brings us to a new film within this topic, The Little Things, which was written and directed by John Lee Hancock (The Highway Men, The Founder). This was the first among the 2021 film slate from Warner Brothers that would be released simultaneously in theaters and a 30 day run on HBO Max. There wasn't much known about it in the marketing campaign except for the cast of actors involved. I watched it on HBO Max ready to see how it can start my 2021 watchlist but ended up being disappointed by its missed potential in a soggy experience. 

What's it about? Taking place in the 1990 Los Angeles, the story follows a county sheriff and a young detective who investigate a series of murders to uncover the killers identity. On paper, there's good deal of quality content that can be done with this premise. There are interesting scenes of backstory behind the mindset of the county sheriff and how an obsession with making sure the past doesn't repeat itself can ruin relationships. 

The execution of what it does present, unfortunately, ends up feeling like a waste of time in a sluggish slow story that doesn't do anything meaningful. The protagonists aren't very interesting as individuals or as a duo and the screenplay fails to give much context that can land impact for them by the end of things. There isn't really much that happens or any shifts that causes a natural sudden shift but rather a badly paced feature that feels repetitive until it inserts someone new in the first act. The third act really just falters hard in the new individual and the events that happen there just feels bland. 

 

How are the actors? In regards to story importance, the actors to focus on are Denzel Washington, Rami Malek, and Jared Leto. Denzel does a good performance in a role where he's seasoned in experience but conveys reflecting on past haunting mistakes quite well. Rami gives a fine portrayal for his young slightly feisty detective part but he isn't given much to work with to flesh out a character who's lacking substance. Jared is given the worst treatment out of the three where you can tell he's trying his best but the script lets him down the most and doesn't do anything with him at all. 

 

Overall Consensus: The Little Things ends up doing very little with its premise that not only lacks thrills due to its weak screenplay but doesn't do anything substantial with its talented cast struggling to elevate this badly paced wasted opportunity. ⭑⭑1/4 Runtime: 2 hours 7 minutes R

 

Reasons to watch it: You are a fan of the aforementioned actors and/or director John Lee Hancock. 

 

Reasons to avoid it: You aren't a fan of the aforementioned actors and/or director John Lee Hancock. You dislike slow thrillers that doesn't take advantage of its stakes and characters with pacing issues. You aren't in the mood for a by the numbers crime premise.