
Little Children
2006, Drama, 2h 10m
162 Reviews 50,000+ RatingsWhat to know
critics consensus
Little Children takes a penetrating look at suburbia and its flawed individuals with an unflinching yet humane eye. Read critic reviews
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Where to watch
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Movie Info
Cast & Crew
Sarah Pierce
Kathy Adamson
Brad Adamson
Ronald James McGorvey
Larry Hedges
Richard Pierce
News & Interviews for Little Children
Critic Reviews for Little Children
All Critics (162) | Top Critics (53) | Fresh (129) | Rotten (33)
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The film displays a certain kinship with Sam Mendes's American Beauty, but Field is more tragedian than social satirist.
February 9, 2007 | Full Review… -
Quote not available.
February 3, 2007 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review… -
Little Children is disturbing and smart and the best satire of modern American suburbia since American Beauty.
January 5, 2007 | Rating: 5/5 -
Well-acted and meticulously crafted, Little Children can feel less like a full-blooded representation of life than a disquieting literary exercise.
January 5, 2007 | Rating: B- -
I didn't like any of these characters, but I kept pulling for them anyway -- right up to the shock-o-riffic ending, when I felt I'd been sucker-punched.
January 5, 2007 | Rating: 2.5/4 | Full Review… -
As in Field's first film, the characters are drawn with such compassion their follies become our own and their desires seem as vast as the night sky.
January 5, 2007 | Full Review…
Audience Reviews for Little Children
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Feb 09, 2016Little Children is a fascinating and disturbing glimpse into suburban life, without a group of intriguing and diverse characters. The performances here are just outstanding. Kate Winslet and Jackie Earl Haley truly stand out, giving raw and unflinching performances that both terrify and amaze me. Patrick Wilson is also fantastic, giving us a real look into the life of this empty man. Noah Emmerich is very underrated as well, as he steals the show in some scenes. Everyone in the film was at the top of their game. This detailed vision came together extremely well, and it really left me thinking for days after I had saw it.Bradley W Super Reviewer
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Nov 26, 2013It is disturbing but the film is really really effective in telling a troubled tale of an affair in a suburban setting with a pedophile thrown in for good measure. Winslet is fantastic as always.John B Super Reviewer
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Jan 28, 2012Freaking great! Its a real nice way of showing how intense suburban life can be. Though the ending is a bit of a fantasy, the rest is raw and powerful.paul o Super Reviewer
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Jan 18, 2012Without having read the book, I can still say confidently that Little Children is a near-perfect literary adaptation. Its multi-layered narrative coupled with its cleverly utilized narration give the movie a distinctly literary feel. It's an astoundingly humane drama that takes a piercing look at the darker underbelly of suburbia while also communicating a message of hope in the goodness of humanity. Kate Winslet plays Sarah Pierce, a suburban mother and wife who, dissatisfied with her husband and friends, begins an affair with a similarly dissatisfied father named Brad (Patrick Wilson). Their affair is set against the overarching plot of registered sex offender Ronnie (Jackie Earle Haley) and his mother moving into the neighborhood, causing parents in the neighborhood to fear for their children's safety. Jackie Earle Haley is the standout actor in an already talented cast, portraying Ronnie as a miserable outcast struggling to overcome his disorder rather than as the heartless sexual predator that his neighbors see him as. The scene in which Ronnie goes for a swim in the public pool is one of the best in the movie, and clearly illustrates his character. As the tension continues to build, the different plotlines of the movie converge until it reaches an intense but moving climax. It's not the first movie to dissect the dark side of suburbia, but Little Children is one of the better ones, and its sympathetic view of its characters makes it an intelligent and thought-provoking drama.Joey S Super Reviewer
Little Children Quotes
Mary Ann: | Oh that's nice. So now cheating on your husband makes you a feminist? |
Sarah Pierce: | No, no, no. It's not the cheating. It's the hunger - the hunger for an alternative and the refusal to accept a life of unhappiness. |
Sarah Pierce: | My professors would kill me for even thinking this, but, in her own strange way Emma Bovary is a feminist. |
Mary Ann: | Oh, that's nice. So now, cheating on your husband makes you a feminist. |
Sarah Pierce: | No, no, no. It's not the cheating. It's the hunger. The hunger for an alternative and the refusal to accept a life of unhappiness. |
May McGorvey: | There. You look handsome. She won´t be dissapointed |
May McGorvey: | There. You look handsome. She won't be dissapointed |
Ronnie J. McGorvey: | Wait´ll she hears about my criminal record |
Ronnie J. McGorvey: | Wait'll she hears about my criminal record |
May McGorvey: | I don´t think you need to get into that just yet. Why dont´t you stick to small talk? |
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