Little Children - Preview
Preview by Jack Foley
TODD Field impressed many with his last film, the multi-Oscar nominated In The Bedroom, starring Tom Wilkinson. His latest, Little Children is said to provide Kate Winslet with one of her best roles in ages, while also looking set to become one of the highlights of the forthcoming London Film Festival.
Set in the Boston suburb of Bennington, the film follows the fortunes of Sarah (Winslet), an over-educated, liberal woman who feels like a fish out of water among the gaggle of aspirational mothers she joins each day at the park.
Her life takes a turn for the more interesting, however, when she begins an affair with a stay-at-home dad (Patrick Wilson), who is also frustrated by the middle class stability he finds himself in. Hence, what begins as an understanding friendship quickly develops into a passionate affair as they try to recreate their unencumbered youth.
Coupled with this infidelity, however, is the arrival back in town of a convicted paedophile, who has returned to live with his mother, thereby prompting vigilante harassment of both.
Given the serious nature of both themes, it would be easy for Field to get things wrong but according to the LFF’s Sandra Hebron the film treats them “with compassion, the dark currents beneath the surface contrasting with the gorgeous sun-dappled look of the film”.
She adds that in the restless Sarah, “Kate Winslet has found a sympathetic role in which to shine, giving one of her finest performances in years”.
Todd Field previously won the LFF’s Satyajit Ray Award in 2001 for In The Bedroom so expect there to be plenty of interest when Little Children is shown as part of this year’s interesting line-up.
Aside from Winslet, the film’s other main star, Patrick Wilson, should be worth keeping an eye on, especially since this is his second film to deal with the subject of paedophiles. His last, Hard Candy is already among the indie hits of the year and one of the biggest talking points.
Taking on the role of the paedophile this time, however, is Jackie Earle Haley, a former child star who is still best remembered as Kelly Leak from the original Bad News Bears movie. He has been absent from movies since the early ’90s, so it should be interesting to see how he fares in such a difficult role.