Esther Zuckerman Buena Vistas Pictures Distribution Washington's charm is palpable opposite Choudhury in her first screen role, but he fleshes out Demetrius, as well, as a man questioning his own stagnation for the sake of steadiness. But at the center of that is Demetrius and Meena's nascent love, tenuous at first, since he first engages with her to make his ex jealous, but develops into a full-blown romance. It's also about the fallout from Idi Amin's expulsion of Asians from Uganda and the diaspora that resulted, as well as colorism and the tensions that can boil over between minorities in a place where racism is prevalent. Mira Nair's film is more vast than its simplest logline about a carpet cleaner named Demetrius (Washington) in Greenwood, Mississippi, who falls for an Indian girl, Meena (Sarita Choudhury), after she accidentally hits his truck. Mississippi Masala is the exception to this rule. © 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc.Denzel Washington has always been a sex symbol, but he's rarely been in movies that can cast him as a romantic lead. Say it with me, folks: It’s the little things. Well, that and an indictment of self-shielding cop culture. But a couple of grand, intriguing ideas does not a movie make. The final moment - all 10 seconds of it - is cool, and I suspect that Hancock built his entire movie around it. Rami Malek turns in a capable performance as a sheriff in “The Little Things.” ©Warner Bros/Everett Collection The climactic scene drops Malek and Leto in a nondescript lot of dirt and metal fences, and a should-be shocking twist summons memories of Moe and Larry. If the movie feels like it’s going nowhere, that’s because it is. Who cares that there’s beer in the fridge or who drank the milk? Unremarkable stake-outs last for what feels like hours. It would be nice if some of the little things in writer-director John Lee Hancock’s movie had been enlarged. No computer hacker awkwardness, French prisoner twitching or Freddie Mercury flamboyance - just a stripped-down, capable lead performance. Malek, for a change, acts like a normal human being. Jared Leto gets weird, and Rami Malek gets normal in “The Little Things.” ©Warner Bros/Everett Collection But there is no depth or texture to the part - only weirdness. “I’m a bit of a crime buff,” Albert says. The character has a Hannibal Lecter quality in that his speech is serpentine and he knows an eerie amount about the detectives. I’d add that Albert is a stringy-haired creep, but that’s just our Jared. In this slow ferry ride of a film, Joe and Jim pursue just one lead: Albert Sparma, a shifty electronics store employee played by Jared Leto. The actor certainly endured no sleepless nights worrying whether he could master the role of a hardened authority figure with a dark past. Israel, Esq.” - but Deacon’s dogged pursuit is a stalk in the park for him. Washington is at his best when challenged - check out his brilliant, transformative performance as a frumpy lawyer in “Roman J. There are hazy flashbacks to that violent night throughout. “It’s the little things that get you caught.” Denzel Washington and Jared Leto star in “The Little Things.” APĭeacon isn’t some unlikely suburban genius he used to be top dog with the LAPD years earlier, but left after he cracked under the pressure during a case. “The little things are important, Jimmy,” Deacon says. Enter: Deacon, a less-fun Sherlock Holmes type who notices details that most other detectives miss. The department has no leads, and the community is fed up and scared. “We haven’t been under this much scrutiny since the Night Stalker!” exclaims one frustrated cop. Washington plays Joe Deacon, a police officer in Kern County, California, who drives down to the big city one day to pick up a piece of evidence, but is unexpectedly enlisted by whippersnapper Sheriff Jim Baxter (Rami Malek) to help find the ruthless unknown murderer. This one preys on Los Angeles women in 1990. It is, like a preponderance of entertainment these days, the story of a serial killer. “The Little Things” is not, as its cute title would suggest, about a Vermont woman who sells tchotchkes. The latest example is Denzel Washington’s anemic drama, “The Little Things,” which is less gripping than some anthills. Shove in all the moral and ethical quandaries and Oscar winners you want, but without a satisfying maze for us to work through, your movie will be a forgettable pile of police jargon and brooding underscore. 1 rule for any detective story: The mystery cannot be boring. Rated R (violent/disturbing images, language and full nudity) In select theaters and on HBO Max.
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