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    Movie Review

    The Little Things a solid if imperfect entry in the crime drama genre

    Alex Bentley
    Jan 27, 2021 | 11:47 am
    The Little Things a solid if imperfect entry in the crime drama genre
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    At their best, crime dramas can be an intense experience as police and criminals engage in a cat-and-mouse game. The films are usually on the side of the cops, but showing the frailties of those supposedly on the right side of the law has become a popular aspect of many modern movies in the ever-expanding genre.

     

    In The Little Things, it’s the capability of the ones doing the investigating that’s put under a microscope. Joe Deacon (Denzel Washington) works for the Kern County Sheriff’s Department, but he is confronted with his past when he’s sent on an errand to his old stomping ground with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. It’s clear from his chilly reception that things did not end well there, although he doesn’t let that stop him from inserting himself into a new investigation.

     

    A series of women either have been murdered or gone missing, and the similarities to a case Joe handled when he was with the department are striking. He gloms on to Detective Jim Baxter (Rami Malek) to track the new case, and the two immediately find common ground in their dedicated-to-a-fault mentalities. As they hone in on their prime suspect, Albert Sparma (Jared Leto), their dogged personalities prove to be both a help and hinderance to the pursuit.

     

    Written and directed by John Lee Hancock, the film maintains a nice rhythm throughout. Although both Joe and Det. Baxter appear to have what it takes to be good cops, Hancock includes just enough scenes to plant doubt into the viewers’ minds. He doles out meager information about Sparma, with what is shown being more than enough to view him as supremely creepy, although whether that qualifies him to be a killer is called into question.

     

    The tropes of the genre keep the film going even when the story falters a bit. Hancock includes more than a few narrative leaps in logic, and it’s only because of similar films that have come before and talent of the cast that the missteps don’t stop the story’s momentum. The downtrodden cop looking for redemption is a cliché almost as old as film itself, but the movie features plenty of moments that help Joe and the story itself overcome that familiarity.

     

    At 66, Washington can no longer move like he once could, but he still has the presence that few others can offer. The way he narrows his eyes and seems to consider every word before saying it are just two of the many ways he elevates his role. Malek is an acquired taste. His type of acting doesn’t seem to fit well here, as he doesn’t have the gravitas or life experience to be completely believable. Leto, on the other hand, has a long history of being disturbing in different roles, and he makes the most of his limited screentime.

     

     The Little Things, the first of Warner Bros’ 2021 slate to go directly to HBO Max, is a solid if imperfect entry in the crime drama genre. It offers little that fans haven’t seen before, but some fine filmmaking and great acting make it a worthwhile experience.

     

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    The Little Things will debut in theaters and on HBO Max on January 29.

    Denzel Washington in The Little Things.

    Denzel Washington in The Little Things
      
    Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
    Denzel Washington in The Little Things.
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    Movie review

    New movie Eddington confronts the chaos of early pandemic life

    Alex Bentley
    Jul 18, 2025 | 3:30 pm
    Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal in Eddington
    Photo courtesy of A24
    Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal in Eddington.

    The coronavirus pandemic had a profound impact on the entire world, one that has been shown in various ways by movies and TV shows. However, even though a number of productions have attempted to show what life was like during the early days of the pandemic, few have tried to truly reckon with the way lockdowns and restrictions changed people.

    Filmmaker provocateur Ari Aster does just that in Eddington, set in a fictional small town in New Mexico in early 2020 that proves to be a microcosm of the debates taking place worldwide at that time. Sheriff Joe Cross (Joaquin Phoenix) is not a fan of mask mandates or other restrictions imposed by the government, while mayor Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal) tries to lead by example in an effort to keep his community safe.

    The men butt heads not just on how to deal with the pandemic, but also over a personal history involving Joe’s wife, Louise (Emma Stone). When news of the murder of George Floyd in Minnesota makes its way to town, it starts a slow simmer among the town’s youth population, putting even more stress on Joe and his small department. Conspiracy theories, white guilt, partisan politics, cults, and more combine to make the community into a powder keg that threatens to explode at the slightest provocation.

    Aster (Midsommar, Beau is Afraid) takes aim at all sides in a film that’s part satire and part thriller. No matter how each viewer reacted to the pandemic, the film offers at least a character or two that will come close to representing their viewpoint. Although opinions may differ, it seems clear that Aster is not portraying one side as “right” or more righteous than the other. What he is doing is demonstrating just how much was happening in a short period of time, and how those things could negatively affect anyone.

    On the flip side, the film also challenges viewers with viewpoints that may not match their own, which can make for an uncomfortable experience at times. The reactions various characters have to certain events range from rational to wholly unexpected, and Aster seems to delight in keeping the audience on their toes the entire time. This is especially true when violence rears its ugly head, resulting in some intense and upsetting scenes.

    Not everything in the film lands, though. A subplot involving Louise and Vernon (Austin Butler), a cult leader who preys on her fears, feels tacked on, with no relation to the film as a whole. In fact, the character of Louise is a misfire in general, one whose purpose makes little sense. Aster also lets (asks?) some actors speak in almost inaudible tones at various points in the film, a frustrating experience in a film as dialogue-heavy as this one.

    Phoenix loves to dig into off-kilter characters, and this one ranks high on that scale. Even if you don’t enjoy what his character does, it’s hard to fault the performance that brings him to life. Most of Pascal’s scenes are with Phoenix, and while he matches Phoenix’s energy, the lower key nature of his character leaves him overshadowed. The nature of the film means few others make an impact, although Deidre O’Connell as Joe’s passive-aggressive mother-in-law and William Belleau as Officer Jiminiz Butterfly stand out in their scenes.

    Few of us would volunteer to go back to the baffling days of early 2020, but Eddington does a great job of examining what was happening at the time and how events united some and divided others. It’s not a feel-good film, but it is one that will make viewers re-examine their reactions at the time and how those influenced the current reality.

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    Eddington is now playing in theaters.

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