Little
2019
By Paulette Reynolds
April 15, 2019
Director: Tina Gordon
Screenplay: Tracy Oliver and Tina Gordon
Starring: Issa Rae/April, Marsai Martin/Little Jordan, Regina Hall/Jordan Sanders, Luke James/Trevor, Tone Bell/Preston, Justin Hartley/Mr. Marshall, Marley Taylor/Stevie, Rachel Dratch/Agent Bea
2019
By Paulette Reynolds
April 15, 2019
Director: Tina Gordon
Screenplay: Tracy Oliver and Tina Gordon
Starring: Issa Rae/April, Marsai Martin/Little Jordan, Regina Hall/Jordan Sanders, Luke James/Trevor, Tone Bell/Preston, Justin Hartley/Mr. Marshall, Marley Taylor/Stevie, Rachel Dratch/Agent Bea
On the surface, Little is a film that's a fake: It promises us another retread of the What-happens-when-a-kid-turns-into-an-adult trope, like Big (1998) or What-if-a-parent-and-child-switch-bodies, such as in Freaky Friday (2003). Both were great entertainment, but Little takes the idea and stands it on its head, giving us a romp through our worst insecurities - as a child, an adult and the female in between.
Starring HBO's original insecurity princess herself, Issa Rae shines as April, a frazzled assistant to high-powered diva Jordan Sanders (Regina Hall), who routinely chews up her staff and then spits them out. And Jordan's main target of abuse is April, who's on 24/7 duty, existing on a steady diet of threats, drama and put-downs, staying with Jordan's tech firm in the hope of getting to pitch her idea for a killer product. The problem is, her boss sees April as little more than a passive gofer.
One day Jordan makes the mistake of harassing a young girl who delights everyone with her warm spirit and her magic tricks. Stevie may be little, but she cuts the mean girl mogul down to 13 year-old size with an angry toss of her wand. Confronting the smaller version of herself, Jordan must now rely on the very person she treats with contempt to help her navigate through unresolved issues and yet another mean girl from her past. In the meantime, April has to step up and save the business while searching for the elusive Stevie, finding her own voice and parenting out of control Jordan.
Little's title might mislead some, but Blackish's Marsai Martin brings another game to this cinematic comedy as the outraged little drama girl Jordan. Miss Martin doesn't hold back with her version as she slings acid-coated barbs and her agile frame around with equal ferocity. Marsai Martin handles the nuances of both physical comedy and dramatic moments with admirable ease, and her characterization of a neurotic CEO bordering on a meltdown gallops away with the entire film.
Another big selling point for Little is the creative involvement of women, especially behind the camera. Directed by Tina Gordon, written by Tracy Oliver and Tina Gordon, co-produced by Regina Hall and 14 year-old Marsai Martin, and with Racheal Floyd and Tracey Poirier as assistant directors, Little celebrates a growing renaissance of films that showcase women - especially women of color.
Regina Hall, Issa Rae and Marsai Martin score a comic trifecta in a story that is familiar to all women and girls who suffer from feeling small and invisible and ignored. While these emotions may be glossed over with laughs and punch lines, this story strikes a universal chord that can speak to the Little in all of us.
Regina Hall, Issa Rae and Marsai Martin score a comic trifecta in a story that is familiar to all women and girls who suffer from feeling small and invisible and ignored. While these emotions may be glossed over with laughs and punch lines, this story strikes a universal chord that can speak to the Little in all of us.
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COPYRIGHT 2012/2019. Paulette Reynolds. All CineMata Movie Madness blog articles, reviews, faux interviews, commentary, and the Cine Mata character are under the sole ownership of Paulette Reynolds. All intellectual and creative rights reserved.
