Little Children examines suburban dysfunction at its finest. The story uses cartoonish cardboard characters to create a modern take loosely based on Madame Bovary. In fact, writers Todd Field and Tom Perrotta use the Madame Bovary reference as a plot device within the film, pointing the inspiration for one of the characters. While many of the characters lacked the substance I generally look for in a film, the intertwining stories were well thought out thematically to keep the film interesting.
Sarah Pierce (Kate Winslet) is not like the other mothers that gather and cackle at the local playground. Her "Stepford Wives" cohorts have shallow, unfulfilled lives that are only deadened by their daytime fantasies of an infrequent male visitor to the park, Brad Adamson (Patrick Wilson). Sarah lacks the inhibitions of her fellow moms, but doesn't realize that she is just as unfulfilled as the other mothers. That is, she doesn't realize it until she engages in conversation with Brad, asking him for a hug and a kiss as a way to embarrass the other mothers. It works better than she planned. It also helps her realize that she her life is missing something.
Brad basks in the attention the less-than-perfect Sarah gave him, daydreaming about her and wondering why she doesn't show up at the park or swimming pool so they can cross paths again. Sarah has attempted to move on with her life, but suddenly decides to take matters into her own hands when she catches her husband pleasuring himself with a pair of panties draped over his face while looking at pictures on his computer. Sarah intentionally bumps into Brad at the local pool, making the trip a daily ritual. Eventually, the pair engage in a steamy romance that convinces them that they were meant for each other.
While Brad and Sarah are examining their relationships, their spouses continue with their own obsessions, and we are given a glimpse into the lives of other minor characters. One major theme involves a sex offender in the neighborhood who was released from prison after serving two years for indecent exposure. He is constantly harassed by a retired policeman who has skeletons in his own closet. As a distraction for the torrid affair, the relationship between the former cop and sex offender experiences its own juxtaposition as the film offers redemption as a theme, in the place of the expected happy ending.
Some of the characters in Little Children were developed more thoroughly than others. I hate flat characters, and felt that greater consideration could have been given to a few of the less prominent characters, especially the ones more intimately related to the main story. The dialogue was interesting and tied to the central themes, including some gruesome foreshadowing. The story took an interesting twist on Madame Bovary and avoided the typical Hollywood ending, yet it managed to be a feel good story in the end. The independent feel of this film, combined with an ending that was hard to predict saved this film for me. I wish the characters were a bit more credible beyond just Sarah. The entire story is narrated, which I hate. The narration turned Madame Bovary into a Harlequin Romance. That part of the dialogue required me to grit my teeth at times.
Winslet and Wilson were excellent together. They had a hot chemistry that made their tryst believable. You could look at Jennifer Connelly who played Brad's wife Kathy and understand why Brad would be unhappy. Although Connelly is attractive, Winslet is no slouch. And the chemistry between Winselt and Wilson seemed genuine. I never felt it with Connelly, which is a tribute to the writing and acting. Gregg Edelman was nearly non-existent as Winslet's on-screen husband. His performance was brief and forgettable (well, maybe not forgettable...he WAS masturbating with a pair of panties over his face). Jackie Haley had a notable performance as the sex offender in this film.
There is very little about Little Children that doesn't deserve an R rating. The main thread of this story involves adult themes. But the sex in this film is hot, tawdry and graphic. Wilson's buttocks are exposed in more than one scene and we see Winslet's breasts and buttocks in a couple of scenes as well. The sex scene is simulated with enough realism that there is no explaining away what is going on on-screen to younger viewers. What you see is what you get. Clear sex scenes complete with nudity. The other major adult theme in this film centers on the sex offender, his offense and his subsequent actions as he adjusts back to society after spending two years in prison. This plot line ends violently and deals with death and disfigurement. The R rating is well applied in this film, definitely not for younger viewers.
In the end, there was plenty to like about Little Children. While some of the sub-plots were distracting, they did tie into the major themes. Cutting out the sex offender angle could have shortened this film from the 2 hour 17 minute run-time without altering the main idea of the film. A few of the characters were credible, but there were too many flat characters for my liking. The chemistry between Winslet and Wilson helped sell the film for me. Although, I wish they would have skipped the narrator, which was irritating. In the end, I liked the story and ending and enjoyed a couple of the characters. It squeaks by with a mild recommendation. 6/10.
Photos and video courtesy of New Line Cinema.