Little Children (2006)

The lives of two lovelorn spouses from separate marriages, a registered sex offender, and a disgraced ex-police officer intersect as they struggle to resist their vulnerabilities and temptations.

Director:

Todd Field

Writers:

Todd Field (screenplay), Tom Perrotta (screenplay),

Stars:

Kate Winslet, Jennifer Connelly, Patrick Wilson

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 12 wins & 29 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kate Winslet	...	Sarah Pierce
Jennifer Connelly	...	Kathy Adamson
Patrick Wilson	...	Brad Adamson
Jackie Earle Haley	...	Ronnie J. McGorvey
Noah Emmerich	...	Larry Hedges
Gregg Edelman	...	Richard Pierce
Phyllis Somerville	...	May McGorvey
Raymond J. Barry	...	Bullhorn Bob
Jane Adams	...	Sheila
Ty Simpkins	...	Aaron Adamson
Sadie Goldstein	...	Lucy Pierce
Helen Carey	...	Jean
Sarah Buxton	...	Slutty Kay
Mary B. McCann	...	Mary Ann
Trini Alvarado	...	Theresa

Storyline

Echoes of "Madame Bovary" in the American suburbs. Sarah's in a loveless marriage to an advertising executive, long days with her young daughter at the park and the pool, wanting more. Brad is an immature househusband, married to a flinty documentary filmmaker. Ronnie is just out of prison - two years for indecent exposure to a minor - living with his elderly mother, May; Larry is a retired cop, fixated on driving Ronnie away. Sarah and Brad connect, a respite of adult companionship at the pool. Ronnie and Larry have their demons. Brad should be studying for the bar; Larry misses his job; Ronnie's mom thinks he needs a girlfriend. Sarah longs to refuse to be trapped in an unhappy life. Where can these tangled paths lead?

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Plot Keywords:

suburb | bar | sex | dysfunctional marriage | sex offender | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong sexuality and nudity, language and some disturbing content

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 November 2006 (USA)

Also Known As:

Secretos íntimos

Filming Locations:

Boothbay Harbor, Maine, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$14,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£158,012 (UK) (3 November 2006)

Gross:

$5,459,824 (USA) (6 April 2007)

Company Credits

Production Co:

New Line Cinema, Bona Fide Productions, Standard Film Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

137 min 137 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

DTS SDDS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (DuArt)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

A sequence where Brad mentally compares Sarah to Kathy he describes Kathy as tall and Sarah as short. In reality Jennifer Connelly is only half an inch taller than Kate Winslet.

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Goofs

Camera reflection on the car when Kathy picks up Brad at the train station.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Lucy Pierce: Want to take a walk with me?

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Connections

Featured in The 64th Annual Golden Globe Awards (2007)

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Soundtracks

"Fly Me to the Moon (In Other Words)"
(1954)
Written by Bart Howard
Conducted and Performed by Sam Nestico (as Sammy Nestico)

User Reviews

Amazing!

Out of all the "Oscar Bait" films I've seen this year, this film beats them all. Little Children is an unbelievable masterpiece about what it means to grow up. This idea is brilliantly portrayed through characters

• while categorized as "adults" - have yet to outgrow certain

adolescent stages.

Brad is a man who never got the chance to experience the spotlight in his youth, and now he desperately craves attention, acknowledgment, or admiration in any form.

Sarah is a woman who never learned how to grow past her own selfishness. She is angry at her daughter for needing attention when all Sarah wants is some time to herself.

Larry is a man who still harbors bully-like tendencies, and desperately just wants to fit in and be one of the guys. This is seen through his treatment of Ronnie - the pedophile who was just released from prison and returned to the neighborhood.

Ronnie is the dangerous man. The man who cannot connect with people his own age and seeks sexual gratification with children or with people who

• like him - cannot fit into the adult world.

This isn't an action moving - it's an interaction movie. The scenes between characters have you nailed to your seat and deeply invested. The characters interact within their small community, and their actions with each other build into a climatic explosion that forces them all to face truths about themselves, and - finally - accept their responsibilities as mothers, husbands, fathers, and humans. This accepting is what separates little children from adults, immature from mature.

The tale is moving, sad, hilarious, dark, breathtaking, thought-provoking and many other creative adjectives. It forces you to reevaluate your idea of yourself and your thoughts on others. It forces you to see people you would normally loath and dismiss in a differently light. This a movie you will come out of changed. If you only see one film a higher, I cannot recommend this one more.