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The film opens with Sarah (Kate Winslet) and her three other suburban mom friends in a heedless
small talk while in a playground warily looking after their children and performing the rituals of the regimental stay-at-home moms. Unknown to the three Sara is unhappy and
discontented having to put behind as life an English Lit Major. The dare to befriend the "prom king" and house daddy Brad (Patrick Wilson) leads to an affair which she
rationalizes when she catches her husband (Gregg Edelman) pleasuring himself with a pornographic website.
Brad is equally unhappy and resentful of his breadwinner and perfect wife Kathy (Jennifer Connelly). He unenthusiastically studies for the bar exams which he flunked twice and prefers to hang out with the local skateboarders and police football team. Intertwined in the illicit affair between Sarah and Brad is Ronnie McGorvey (Jackie Earle Haley) a reformed pedophile whose release outrages the rigid and pretentious neighborhood. The characters lie and pretend to themselves and each other that everything will turn out well save for Ronnie who recognizes his past mistakes and the present demons still haunting him.
The movie is a tight and visually compelling translation of Perrotta's novel overflowing with
flashes of painful realizations, truthful comedy and poignant reflections. It is riveting with the subtleness of its satire and sensitivity of the direction. Director and writers
does not romanticize the situation but brings forth certain dark and ugly realities that serves as the sting of cold water splashed in one's complacency and rigidness. The
characters are well developed and make perfect archetypes.
The plot develops gradually to unfold insights into life and human weaknesses. Technically, the film is well crafted with brilliantly laidback cinematography and creative production design that completes the look of an everyday comfortable yet tensed feeling. Performances by Winslet, Somerville and Heley are outstanding. Overall, the scenes are well done enriching the overall texture of the film
Yearning is the ember that can light our lives when properly fanned and nurtured but will also
lead into a behavior that is destructive to ourselves and hurtful to others if left to burn on its own. Little Children takes a look at an adult living like a child – e.i.
unable to control and direct his or her yearning into something that transcends self-centeredness.
Adulthood requires not just a mere conformity to society but to be transformed into responsible persons making productive and positive choices. This film teaches us the skill to befriend our passion and wants so we can move beyond selfishness into something that makes us more loving and compassionate adults. It is also a call for introspection at our vulnerability and shortcomings first before passing judgment to people we think of sinners or criminals so unworthy to belong to a community. We rated the movie "For Adults" as young audience may not fully and maturely process the sensitivity and presentation of the subject matter such as adultery, deceit, etc.
(Date Reviewed: 26 January 2007)
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