It’s a tale as old as time. A seamingly disgraced former detective, a young hot shot, and a string of grisly murders. One is a hardened cynic. The other, attempting to leave his mark.
Joe Deacon (Denzel Washington), returns to the scene of the crime of a triple murder that took place when he was a younger man (albeit, not much younger). Visibly shaken and marred by implied decisions viewers are left wondering what decisions were made that altered Deacon’s career path, turning him from detective to rural county sheriff.
When a string of murderers arrive in Los Angeles, it’s the young Detective Jim Baxter (Rami Malek) controlling the narrative. Detective Baxter takes it upon himself to figure out whether the seasoned Deacon can help him crack the case. Deacon immediately recognizes the former serial killer’s M.O. and begins to conduct the legwork with Baxter eventually landing on a potential suspect, Albert Sparma (Jared Leto). Perhaps the most gripping moment in the film is Albert’s laissez faire attitude and ability to torment our detectives. Unfazed by threats of arrest and the pictures of the victims, Albert seems interested (or infatuated) with a potential arrest. Albert certainly looks and acts the part.
The plot thickens, Deacon’s life comes full circle, and the aspects of the previous case reveal themselves to be the causes of Deacon’s divorce, heart attack, and overall emotional and professional breakdown. Together, our two detectives continue to dive deeper and deeper into the mind of Albert in order to ask one question: Is Albert the killer?
It should be noted here, the director John Lee Hancock (Saving Mr. Banks, The Founder, The Blind Side) thrives in producing mildly successful period pieces (if you count the 90’s as a period). The film felt as if you were on the way to soccer practice in an old wood-paneled Taurus with a tupperware full of orange slices. Movies set in the nineties not starring Bill Murray rarely, if ever, remind 20 and 30 somethings of the lives they once lived. feelThe score, vehicles, and terrible management of DNA makes viewers feel as if Fox and Scully could walk through the door at any moment.
Previous to and during the global pandemic, the American viewing public began gobbling true-crime and serial killer anecdotes like fast food. Our infatuation with serial killers has spawned numerous Netflix shows, most notably Mindhunter. Leto plays the part of the mild-mannered and supremely creepy potential killer incredibly well; although this is to be expected. Leto is famous for being the glue that routinely holds the second and final thirds of films together. As The Little Things progresses, viewers certainly take on the tension of the moment, spurred along by an unsuspecting ride along and a stone faced Denzel. However, Leto’s acumen as a prolific actor ultimately is not enough to deliver the wild and psychologically thrilling ending the film builds towards. Rami was difficult to understand, and Denzel was exceedingly average. Could have saved us all some time and called it ‘The Leto Things.’
Bottom Line
Whereas the move exceeds expectations with its score and ability to harness the 90’s feel, the cast (most notably Rami Malek) fails to live up to lofty expectations that includes four Oscars between the leads.
Score: 68/100
