LITTLE MEN
US, 2016, 85 minutes, Colour.
Greg Kinnear, Theo Taplitz, Michael Barbieri, Jennifer Ehle, Paulina Garcia, Talia Balsam, Alfred Molina.
Directed by Ira Sachs.
The title sounds are touch twee. But the film is not.
The two little men of the title are Jacob and Tony, the former from a New York family with a Jewish background, the latter from a Chilean family with a Catholic background. They are both 13 years old.
The film introduces us first to Jake, the scene a very rowdy classroom where Jake is quiet, doing sketches. He is something of a loner, a quiet boy, talented with his art. At home, he answers the phone with a stranger calling to say that his grandfather has died – and the consequences affect his whole family.
Jake’s father was not close to his father, the grandfather who died, but has inherited his apartment in Brooklyn, causing a family move from Manhattan to Brooklyn. Below the apartment is a dress shop managed by Leonor, a close friend of the grandfather who has been managing the shop and paying minimal rent. Tony is her son.
And the two boys hit it off instantly, each admiring the other, comfortable in each other’s company, skateboarding or rollerskating down the streets and under the rail overpasses, Tony admiring Jake’s art and expressing a desire to go to LaGuardia? School to train to be an actor – and, perhaps, Jake could go there to study art.
Jake’s father is Brian, an actor, rehearsing for a role in The Seagull. His mother, Kathy, has a psychiatric practice and supports the family financially – a complication when Brian’s sister wants to raise Leonor’s rent and, if she cannot pay, evict her.
Which means that while the disputes go on with the adults, Brian trying hard to take a hard stand, Kathy trying to mediate and Leonor taking tougher stances, the two boys become the victims of the parental arguments – and, at one stage, neither boy talking to his parents.
This is a very short film but strong in its impact. Greg Kinnear and Jennifer Ehle are Brian and Cathy, Paulina Garcia (who played the strong title role of the Chilean film Claudia) is Leonor. The two boys, TheoTaplitz? as Jake and Michael Barbieri as Tony clearly have acting futures before them – and information indicates that Theo Taplitz has already made eight short films and acted as his cinematographer.
The film is co-written and directed by Ira Sachs. Most of his films have a gay subtext or explicit text. This one does not but one wonders about these pre-pubescent boys and whether the quiet Jake will in Sachs’ imagination emerge with a gay orientation. The film just stops, partly sadly, and one wonders about the future of the boys.
1. The title, the focus on the 13-year-olds, a film about friendship?
2. The New York settings, the opening in Manhattan, school, homes? The transition to Brooklyn? The street, the home and the shop, interiors? School? Football practice? La Guardia School? The musical score?
3. The opening and the focus on Jacob? The rowdiness in the classroom, the reaction of the teacher, Jake and his being quiet? His artwork? The phone call about his grandfather’s death? Going to the memorial? His politeness?
4. The transition from Manhattan to Brooklyn, his not wanting to go? The packing, his pictures being thrown out? A quiet boy? Relationship with his parents?
5. The introduction to Tony, their becoming friends instantly? Jake and his artwork? Tony and his football, his wanting to be an actor? Their being together, roller skates and skateboard? Talking, the quality of their bonding?
6. The dead grandfather, his relationship with Leonor, confidante, small rental?
7. The family moving to Brooklyn, the apartment, settling in? Kathy, her psychiatric practice? The financial support of the family? Her timetable? Brian, his acting career, ups and downs, away from home, the audition for The Seagull, the opening night and his performance?
8. Leonor, the situation with the shop, not making enough money to cover the rent? Her strong stands, relying on her friendship with the grandfather? Her hiring help? The meeting with Kathy, the green dress and the discount? Kathy trying to mediate, a strong stance? Brian and his wanting to have talks with Leonor, her avoiding this, the eventual talk? Her strong stand, challenging Brian that he did not have contact with his father? That she was family?
9. Leonor and her lawyer, the discussions, the contract, the penalties, her not having the money, the case for eviction?
10. Audrey, sister to Brian, her strong stances about the shop, about evicting Leonor? Her complaint that she did not have enough money, not left much by her father? Brian having the flat?
11. The boys, the meals, staying overnight? Leonor and her strong stance with Tony, Brian with Jake? No overnights? The boys deciding not to talk to their parents? Over the time? Coming home from the performance? The reaction of each parent, Brian and his anger in the car?
12. Jake and Tony talking? Jake and a solution about going back to Manhattan? This not happening? The for sale notice on the shop?
13. The drama of the sequence in the drama class, Tony and his performance, shouting at the instructor, his attraction to the girl and their discussions, her liking older boys? The dance centre, Jake going, Tony dancing, Jake and his sketching? The intimations of sexuality and Jake being asexual?
14. Jake, continuing his drawings, always one more, the talk with his father, his father urging him for a balance, to have confidence in his talent?
15. Jake, the change of hairstyle, older, going to the school, seeing Tony with a group of actors? His sketching?
16. The open end, audiences wanting to know more about the characters, especially about the future friendship or not between Jake and Tony?
