Writer and Director 
John Lee Hancock 
(The Blind Side, Saving Mr. Banks, The Highwaymen)

Starring 
Denzel Washington, Rami Malek and Jared Leto

Psychological crime-thriller The Little Things has many things going for it. An Oscar-winning lead cast, its neo-noir genre and a purposefully inconspicuous and intriguing plot synopsis, to name a few. 

Set in 1990, Kern County Deputy Sheriff Joe Deacon (Denzel Washington) is sent to Los Angeles for what should be a straightforward task; to collect evidence for a recent murder. Instead, Joe quickly becomes embroiled in the hunt for an elusive killer who is terrorising the city. Leading the investigation is Sergeant Jim Baxter (Rami Malek), who willingly allows Joe to assist, but is unaware the case is resurfacing some disturbing secrets from his troubled past.

It takes no time at all for The Little Things to go from being a promising prospect on paper to a strong starter on screen. Throughout much of its opening half, the screenplay constructs great intrigue surrounding the mysterious killer’s modus operandi and flashbacks revealing fragments of Joe’s past somehow connecting with the present timeline. Atmospherically, The Little Things is a cinematic experience. Though this latter facet of the film remains as strong as relying on the always trusty hands of Denzel Washington to the end, The Little Things begins to lose momentum and its credibility midway before faltering heavily in its finale. It becomes an overwhelmingly dated and familiar film in almost every way, eliminating earlier hopes of a clever and original conclusion being forthcoming. 

To sum it all up with an analogy, viewing The Little Things is akin to being driven through picturesque countryside with glimpses of an ocean and a soaring mountain in the distance before getting bogged and abandoning us at deserted and uncertain territory.

The Little Things is showing in cinemas across Australia from February 18.

Moviedoc thanks Universal Pictures for the invitation to the screening of this film.

Review by Leigh for Moviedoc
Follow on Twitter – Moviedoc / LIKE on Facebook – @moviedoc13

©