Little Men
2016 · Directed by Ira Sachs
Original language: English
- drama
The story
Jake is a quiet, sensitive middle schooler with dreams of being an artist. He meets the affably brash Tony at his grandfather's funeral, and the unlikely pair soon hit it off. The budding friendship is put at risk, however, when a rent dispute between Jake's father, Brian, and Tony's mother, Leonor, threatens to become contentious.
What it’s like
Soft, unhurried natural light fills the Brooklyn apartments and street corners of Ira Sachs's film, shot with a patient, observational camera that lingers on ordinary rooms, sidewalks and the faces of people deciding what to say. The palette is warm and muted, with wood tones, faded fabrics and the grey-blue of city afternoons, and the handheld camera stays close to two boys as they draw, skate and wander, so the frame feels intimate without being showy. Music is sparse and the silences do much of the work. The mood is tender and quietly melancholy, with a low hum of tension that rises and falls with grown-up money worries seen from a child's eye. The pace is slow and meditative, suited to a rainy afternoon or a reflective evening. The emotional register is restrained, following a shy boy learning what friendship costs when the adults around him fall out. Intensity is very low: there is no violence, no gore and no sexual content, only some sharp words and sadness. It is for viewers who want a gentle, humane drama about childhood, class and loyalty.
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