The Mosley Review: The Little Things
It has truly been a long time since we've had a good old fashioned detective thriller. Films like Prisoners, Wind River and even Knives Out were among some of the best murder mystery and crime dramas of the past decade, even though they had their own special quirks. All of them were great, but none of them really scratched the same itch of the genre they were in. This film does that with a respect for the genre and takes us back to a time where the revelations of a clue or the payoff of finding the suspect wasn't as quick or satisfying. It took time and patience to nail the culprit and I loved that about this film. This film takes the classic atmospheric approach to the storytelling, but also goes a different route in the execution. Instead of having the killer have the spotlight and making it all about the chase, the story actually delves into the psychological stress and pain of the detectives. The haunting of cases going unsolved over a number of days or years and how you have your suspect, but you have to prove it while under a deadline. It's all there and it was refreshing to watch as not only a suspect is being sought after, but you find yourself searching for the answers behind the main detective. The main problem with this story is that there too many holes left open and it leads to a questionable and an unforeseen end.
Denzel Washington is nothing short of amazing and fascinating as Joe Deacon. Denzel does his best to bring to life the many quirks and pain behind Joe's eyes. Joe's anguish towards the unsolved case that has plagued him for years is truly realized and interesting to see as he revisits his old stomping grounds. Even though he had been away for so long, his detective brain never stopped working and it was fun to watch him work. His interactions with old colleagues slowly peels back the layers of his past and Denzel's excellent body language defines if they brought him joy or sorrow. His interactions with Flo Dunigan played by the wonderful Michael Hyatt, were probably my favorite moments. They were friends, but Michael’s excellent performance shows there is such a deeper connection. Rami Malek delivers a fantastic performance as Detective Jim Baxter and he nailed the character’s confidence and arrogance. He carries himself so well and in some moments, he is on the same level of intimidating as Denzel. You see his determination to solve the case take precedence, but it starts to become his downfall. Jared Leto is so good at playing the weird, creepy and unsettling characters but as Albert Sparma, he delivers a smarter and interesting performance. From the moment he arrives on screen, you are fascinated by him as he gives off a vibe similar to Kevin Spacey's Seven character John Doe. He always is one step ahead of everyone and you get the feeling that this isn't the first time the police have been interested in him. He was absolutely brilliant and the "cat and mouse" game between him and the two leads was great.
The score by Thomas Newman was outstanding and sometimes dreamlike. There is a particular interrogation scene that is punctuated by his score, but the sound design in the scene makes the tension palpable. The cinematography of the film was gorgeous and I loved that there weren't any flashy tricks being done. The subtle and sometimes blatant clues are spread throughout each shot and make you do a double take. Where I think the film will frustrate the audience is not only its divisive ending, but the shift of focus throughout the film. I won't spoil anything here, but upon reflection I realized the main focus of the film and how bold it was to go that direction. Overall, this was fantastic throwback to classic detective stories that don't pan out the way you think. Like another great crime drama, Gone Baby Gone, this film will be up for many debates. Let me know in the comments below if you liked the film or share the same thoughts. Thanks for reading!
