Little Children

Normally I find that movies affect one of three parts of my being: my head, my heart or my gut. A movie like Fight Club might have the cinephile in me jumping for joy and keep my mind racing, while Cinema Paradiso plucks at my heart strings, and Silence of the Lambs has my stomach in knots. The movies I find to be the richest, most emotionally investing, best acted/written/directed and that I enjoy most are the rare dozen or so that manage to affect all three bodily cinematic zones. Todd Field's masterwork, Little Children, is one such film.

Adapted from Tom Perrotta's novel of the same name (he co-wrote the screenplay along with Field), Little Children focuses on two members of a small, affluent community, Sarah (Kate Winslet) and Brad (Patrick Wilson). Unhappy with her lifeless marriage and his dominating spouse, respectively, Sarah and Brad find escape and support in their children and in each other. After meeting at the playground while supervising their children (played by the wildly adorable Sadie Goldstein and Ty Simpkins), the two quickly become enamored with each other and begin a secret romance that revitalizes their lives. Affected by these choices and dealing with life-altering problems of their own are Brad's wife Kathy (Jennifer Connelly), his ex-cop "friend" Larry (Noah Emmerich) and community pedophile Ronnie (Jackie Earl Haley).

Every element of the film is superb. Kate Winslet (who happens to be the female lead in my #1 favorite film of all time, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) has reminded us all once again that she is without a doubt one the top five female actresses working in Hollywood today. With her unbelievably subdued and realistic portrayal she is able to bring a smile to our lips, a flutter to our heart, and a tear to our eye while making her job seem totally effortless. Equally heart-wrenching are the performances by Emmerich and Haley, whose characters, linked through their past interaction with little children, are two distinctly unlikeable human beings, and yet somehow, we are as sympathetic to them as we are terrified of them.

Perrota's and Field's screenplay is a beautiful piece of writing that flows patiently and deliberately, never eschewing story for pacing while keeping the viewer 100% engrossed. The lush narration and the three-dimensionality of the intelligent characters gives the entire film a strong literary feel, as if we were the little children from the playground being read a bedtime story. Field's direction is also exemplary, bringing to the table my favorite combination of directorial choices: he presents the narrative in a clear, unimpeded fashion, yet it is not without his own distinct artistic flourish. From the opening moments of the film, we are dazzled by Field's quick, visceral cuts, his use of intense sound (most of it diagetic, for there isn't much of a score here), and his ability to draw truly wonderful and realistic performances from the actors (a feat he is known for pulling off with In The Bedroom).

There isn't much to criticize. I did find it odd that Jennifer Connelly has had to settle for small supporting roles behind better actors in big dramas for the last few years (see Blood Diamond, which funny enough, stars Kate Winslet's Titanic beau Leo DiCap). I guess there aren't many meaty roles for Connelly that don't require her to take a dildo from behind or chat depressingly with Bayrouz's mama Shohreh Aghdashloo. Also, Patrick Wilson's Brad is significantly less interesting than Winslet's Sarah, although this is due more to Winslet's insane talent and Wilson's average talent than to any fault of Field.

This film is probably my favorite of the year, and believe you me, I have seen some tremendous films in the past twelve months (look for a review of Letters From Iwo Jima and my Oscar picks soon). Until now, Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu's Babel was my favorite movie of the year, but while both films offer deep, emotionally resonant connections to the characters and brilliant filmmaking, Field's vision seems refreshing and unique while Innaritu's style has become a little played out since his incredible debut with Amores Perros (not a top 10, but definitely one of my top 20).

Keep an eye on this baby come Oscar time. Though it's hard for Academy-voters to ignore their old pals Marty and Clint or their love of movie musicals, Little Children is a rare film that affects us deeply without even breaking a sweat. Also, keep an eye on Todd Field-- with the greatness of this film, his future work should be hungrily anticipated.

Agree? Disagree? Let me know!