Little Children (DVD, 2007)

An unusually powerful narrative about normal feelings living in the heartland makes this film stand out as the ultimate winner of real life. There is nothing fake about this. The director, Todd Field captures the novel, written by Tom Perrotta with a zeal for true emotions. Although many could say that this film may have seemed overblown, most would agree that the film captures the psychotic nature of humanity through the lens of actual events that seem to always happen when social norms are questioned by self-righteous or self absorbed groups who band together to fight the so-called evils of western society. Although most would not blame themselves for being a certain way, this film highlights many hypocritical viewpoints about making the best of what they have. Living with the pain & agony of a miserable relationship or bad experiences (or even unacceptable behavior of people who made remorseful mistakes in the past) make this film stand above many others attempting to pinpoint the true essence of individuals realizing themselves. This is not a feel-good film as some might assert. To realize our failures as humans and try to correct them is the key to understanding this film. I would not even say this film was a satire to which is eroding at humanity's morals. I would happen to agree more with many who comment about this film that it teaches us not to judge since we most often don't understand the experience of walking alone with one pair of shoes into the desert. We couldn't possibly explain the loneliness of those that have been chastised & singled out because of being different.

Perrota makes this perfectly clear by being an actor in his own screenplay by simply identifying himself in the credits as simply a small man. Maybe, no more or less than his persecuted character Ronnie J. McGorvey (Jackie Earle Haley) who is labeled in his community as a perverted sex offender. This film makes you think about others feelings and the ties of life & influence you have as a consequence of your actions. Our lives are fundamentally flawed at birth as we live and interact with others. It's too sad that most of our hopes & wishes are washed down the stream when we become trapped in our history.

Whether the banality or sheer fear of life running its course, we seldom, if ever know what train wreck is around the corner. Perrota's narration lulls us into accepting that this may just be a boring children's story that will endlessly continue innocently, yet we most often see glimpses of 21st century life creeping in on us.

Our despondent Ronnie reaches out to us with love and hate to expose our own attitudes. May (Phyllis Somerville), Ronnie's mother, gives a life time performance worthy of an Oscar. This representation of cancer (evil) within our midst is what makes us all become monsters. Understanding Ronnie drives us to feel love, sympathy, and hatred all in one. What makes it even more putrid is Larry Hedge's (Noah Emmerich) despicable behavior in light of all that we know is right. Will it be Ronnie or the two adulterers, Sarah (Kate Winslet) or Brad (Patrick Wilson) that we should make our object of blame? It's not really us to judge. In doing so, we become our own enemy. When do you draw the line? Fields puts us in the driver's seat whether we know it or not.

Jennifer Connelly fits her role perfectly as well as all the other cast members. A must see for all conscientious adults who are wanting to make sense in their own time.

Kate Winslet stars in "Little Children" as Sarah, a bored housewife and mother. She spends her days enduring miserable playground playdates with the neighborhood mothers. She's the designated ditzy mother, who forgets to bring her daughter's snack and even fails to bond with her child. At one point, she compares herself to an anthropologist studying a foreign culture, so alienated is she from her fellow mothers. Into this morass stumbles Patrick Wilson playing Brad, the only stay-at-home father in the neighborhood. The women are fascinated by Brad and quickly nickname him "The Prom King." However, despite their fantasies about Brad, they're petrified to actually admit this handsome young father into their group. One day, Sarah does precisely that.

The movie is ultimately about isolation, which is even more strongly seen in a subplot concerning Jackie Earle Haley. His character returns home following a conviction for exposing himself to a child. The townspeople react to him with predictable venom, even as their own misdeeds unfold before our eyes. This moral ambiguity permeates every frame of "Little Children," turning a good drama into something more transcendent - something much more akin to real life. Indeed, characters go from likeable to pathetic and back again within a blink of an eye, all lead by the brilliant acting of Winslet.

Todd Field's follow-up to 2001's "In the Bedroom" is masterfully directed. Fortunately, "Little Children" manages to avoid the melodrama that marred his earlier effort. The Oscar nominated screenplay by Todd Field and Tom Perrotta is based on Perrotta's novel of the same name. The script doesn't always flow perfectly, with frequent jumps between subplots and sometimes jarring changes in tone. However, the plot avoids predictability, with just a few missteps toward the end. All in all, "Little Children" is a first-rate drama - the kind that will stick with you long after the denouement.

I originally saw this movie on cable.
It was nominated for three academy awards, and justly so. Kate Winslet's performance was excellent, as always. I could really identify with the character of Sarah.
Another amazing performance is Jackie Earle Haley as Ronnie. He really made me feel for the character. The scenes between Ronnie and his Mother are touching, and Jackie's performance as Ronnie is at times heartbreaking.
It is unfortunate he didn't get the Best Supporting Actor oscar for this film.

disturbingly wonderful!

it takes average people like you and me
that do things that are taboo and helps
you see through there eyes so you are
less judging and more understanding it does
not mean that some of the carectors are not wrong
it is just like the say don't judge anybody unless you have walk a mile in there shoes this movie is awsome in that way you will see thinks from a
angel that you are not used to and it change my thoughts about thing and turned it upside down as if you where walking a mile in these carrectors shoes
some of the carrectors you will not relate to and some you will but for the most part you see thing in a different angle that you are not used to the movie is not for every one but i think it was well done and wood see it again again it is normal people and not so normal people that seem to have some simalaritys but are different and are going through life with problems normal life problems and toboo problems i wood say this movie is close to the truth of different peopkles life an problems the movie is well donme but some thing are brutal not too much to stomick but touching thing that most people wood not want to think about and it shoes people that do wrong that wood be frowned on and shows who they are living with there fows like every on this very raw material and probly make think and feel and see thing for the first time deiferently well that is the movie its not for everyone but i thought it was well done and had things that make peaople uneasy but at the end you see thing difrently so i will not tell you everthing but i think you might like this movie i did Mike!

Such a great movie! It was great to see Mr. Haley (Jackie Earle Haley) in a good main charater-ish role, and Mr. Wilson (Patrick Wilson) was awsome too! A wonderful story-line and the narrator made me feel connected to the chararters, like I was reading the book. Mr. Field (Todd Field) really out-did himself with directing this movie, a good love/drama for anyone! =^_^=