REVIEW: The Little Things is Missing Too Many Little Things

It’s the little things in life that matter, those tiny moments that can make all the difference. In Director John Lee Hancock’s new film, The Little Things, it is those little things that make all the difference. The film follows Kern County Deputy Sheriff Joe “Deke” Deacon (Denzel Washington) and LAPD detective Jim “Jimmy” Baxter (Rami Malek) as they track down a serial killer. During their search, they come across a man they believe to be their prime suspect in the killings, Albert Sparma (Jared Leto), who leads the duo on a psychological chase, forcing them to question every move they make.

Washington is, as usual, fantastic in a film that will leave viewers with several questions. Joined by Rami Malek in the film, Malek is a good scene partner to Washington. The two have a sense of calm about them that bleeds into every scene they are in, including the fairly intense moments. Leto’s performance is also good, but it was hard for me to forget it was Leto. His performance was distracted by his physical appearance. The extra weight his character has, in what appeared to be a fat suit, seemed to overwhelm Leto and never seemed to be something he was quite comfortable in.

With that being said, the film has all the aspects of being a solid psychological thriller. An old school cop and a new school cop teaming up to take on a killer in the 90s is the perfect set up, but the execution falls flat. You are left with a lot of questions at the end of the film, and maybe that is the point, but it ultimately just leaves you feeling frustrated. There were too many little things missing for it to feel complete. Instead of wrapping the story in a tight bow, strands are left untied. Washington, Malek, and Leto do what they can, with Washington carrying most of the load, but it still wasn’t enough to leave me satisfied.

It should be noted the music in the film is fantastic. The use of 60s music helped add to the creepy factor, while also creating a lighter feeling to the more intense scenes. I found myself bopping along to the music during scenes that I would typically be gripping my seat watching. Kudos to Hancock and the film’s composer, Thomas Newman, on this A+ decision.

For fans of Washington, Leto and Malek, The Little Things is definitely a must watch, as long as you can accept the fact that the story isn’t all that great. The nice thing is the film is being released on HBO Max, so those intending to watch the film won’t have to go far to check it out. Plus, if you don’t like it, you can always turn it off and find something else.

Grade: B