Artful and intelligent, if given to overstatement, Todd Field's troubling "Little Children" feels like a cross between his superb, intense first film, "In the Bedroom," and Sam Mendes' suburban cauldron, "American Beauty."
Field, who co-wrote the screenplay with the novel's author, Tom Perrotta, works in precise measures, frequently concentrating on the observations of characters as much as on actions and misspoken thoughts.
Characters exhale for a moment and inadvertently give themselves away by saying more than they intend.
Sarah Pierce (Kate Winslet), unhappily married to the otherwise-engaged Richard (Gregg Edelman), goes through the paces of accompanying her daughter to the playground and pool frequented by fellow young mothers in suburban East Wyndam, Mass. They obsess about maternity more than she ever could.
When the gossiping moms spot a stay-at-home dad they've labeled the Prom King (Patrick Wilson as Brad Adamson), it's Sarah who boldly engages him in conversation and even kisses him.
He's married to PBS documentarian Kathy (Jennifer Connelly) who thinks he's using his duty-free time to study for the bar -- he has flunked twice -- when in fact he's playing touch football and watching skateboarders -- two indications of his longing for an obligation-free past. Like Sarah.
After inching into an affair with Brad, she discloses rather more than she intends during a book study club discussion of her literary counterpart, the title character in "Madame Bovary."
One of the film's wild cards is Brad's buddy Larry Hedges (Noah Emmerich), an unemployed ex-cop -- something went wrong some time back -- desperate to feel superior to someone.
Another is Ronald James McGorvey (Jackie Earle Haley, the former child actor from the original "Bad News Bears"). He's a convicted sex offender who's o-u-t and living with his protective mom, May (Phyllis Somerville). Mom thinks his problem will be solved by dating a nice woman. Pity the mark, Sheila (Jane Adams).
Though "Little Children's" tidiness sometimes overreaches -- the drawn-out parallel to Gustave Flaubert's novel and the superfluous closing narration, for example. It's full of telltale observations such as Sarah's forgetting to bring a snack for her bratty daughter, the superiority she feels toward the other mothers and they to her, and to the constantly astonishing Ronald.
There's a great subtle insight when the Pierces and the Adamsons share a dinner. Who among us, in the rush of focused conversation, hasn't stepped outside the lines and colored in an unintended detailâ¢
More than anything, the movie is about the hunger for an alternative to unhappiness and the way we paint ourselves into lives prematurely and immaturely, and wind up satisfying expectations that begin to feel alien.
"Little Children" is unusually well performed, especially by Haley and Somerville, both of whom should be in for year-end recognition along with the film, its direction and screenplay.
Its title embraces everyone in the story. Some are just more dangerous because they're bigger.
- At Squirrel Hill Theater.
Details
'Little Children'Rated R for strong sexuality and nudity, language and some disturbing content;
