Little Children (2006)

From NetFlix:

The lives of several adults who have yet to surpass adolescence intersect in unexpected ways in this twisted relationship drama from director Todd Field that’s set on the suburban streets of a small town. While on-the-go wife and mother Kathy (Jennifer Connelly) is focused on her career, Sarah (Kate Winslet, in an Oscar-nominated role) copes with her domestic plight by having an affair with Kathy’s husband, a stay-at-home dad (Patrick Wilson).

“Little Children” is NOT for little children. On the plus side there are lots of fun nude scenes of love-making between Winslet and Wilson. Also there is some fun footage of rough adult football. On the minus side there are two scenes of masturbation and one scene of self-mutilation.

The book was written by Tom Perrotta who lives in Belmont, MA. There is a voiced-in narrator that reads some of Perrotta’s text.

Don’t let the above warnings scare you off. This film captures the early 21st century with lots of current references. It especially captures surburban stay-at-home moms.

Kate Winslet is no stranger to this blog. See Revolutionary Road (2008), and Romance & Cigarettes (2005), as well as The Reader (2008) .

Patrick Wilson is young, handsome, and likeable in this film. For a completely different Patrick Wilson see Hard Candy (2005)

Hats off to Noah Emmerich as the sad former policeman Larry Hedges.

However, for my money, the most amazing piece of acting was presented by Jackie Earle Haley as the pervert. His reaction to his mother’s death was devastating.

I loved this possibly hard to watch film.

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