A pair of boys become fast friends when one moves into the New York City neighborhood where the other lives, though that friendship is tested when their parents are forced into a battle over the lease of a rented property.
The latest from writer director Ira Sachs is a story about adult situation as seen from the eyes of boys on the very edge of recognizing life beyond adolescence. It begins when Jake (Theo Taplitz) travels with his parents, Brian (Greg Kinnear) and Kathy (Jennifer Ehle), to a funeral to Brooklyn and meets Tony (Michael Barbieri), whose single immigrant mother, Leonor (Paulina Garcia), runs a dress shop in a rental space downstairs. The boys hit it off immediately and Tony shows Jake around the town, sharing their passions for art and acting, video games and more. Meanwhile, Brian, himself a struggle actor, is losing money, leaving Kathy as the family’s only real income. The rental property is being leased at a substantially lower price than the market value and a decision to change that alters everything about the relationship with the boys.
Earning high praise on the festival circuit, this Little Men trailer has a decidedly quirky indie vibe, but probably misrepresents what is surely a very gripping and emotional drama on par with Noah Baumbach‘ The Squid and the Whale (2005). The two boys look very well cast and natural and are sure to be the core of this tender and volatile story. Kinnear has proved to be a very powerful dramatic actor and once again looks to have a found a role that suits him. The trailer paints a vivid picture of two families who have faults on both side with a conflict that harbors no villains, only victims.
Little Men open August 5, 2016
Director:
Ira Sachs
Writers:
Ira Sachs, Mauricio Zacharias
Stars:
Jennifer Ehle, Alfred Molina, Greg Kinnear, Michael Barbieri, Theo Taplitz