The Little Things

Overview

Released in 2021, The Little Things is a neo-noir crime thriller that deliberately sidesteps the frenetic pace and clean resolutions of modern procedurals. Directed and written by John Lee Hancock, the film is a slow-burn character study draped in the atmospheric gloom of 1990s Los Angeles. It stars powerhouse actors Denzel Washington and Rami Malek, with a chilling, Oscar-nominated supporting turn from Jared Leto. With a modest 6.3/10 rating from over 139,000 votes, the film polarized audiences and critics; some found its deliberate pace and ambiguous nature deeply compelling, while others craved more conventional thrills. At its core, the movie is less about solving a puzzle and more about the corrosive weight of obsession, guilt, and the haunting "little things" that can define or destroy a life.

Plot Synopsis (NO SPOILERS)

The story follows Joe "Deke" Deacon (Denzel Washington), a deputy sheriff from a quiet California county who is sent to Los Angeles for a routine evidence retrieval. The city is a ghost of his past, a place where he was once a celebrated homicide detective before a tragic, unsolved case led to his downfall and exile. While there, Deke insinuates himself into a current investigation led by the ambitious, by-the-book detective Jim Baxter (Rami Malek). Baxter is hunting a serial killer terrorizing the city, and despite their vastly different methods, he recognizes Deke's intuitive, almost obsessive genius for crime scene details.

Deke, unable to resist the pull of the hunt, becomes unofficially involved. His approach is instinctual and worn, built on a lifetime of noticing the minute, overlooked elements—the "little things." Baxter, meanwhile, represents a newer, more forensic and procedural style of policing. As they follow a trail of grim evidence, their investigation zeroes in on a peculiar and unsettling suspect: Albert Sparma (Jared Leto). Sparma is a loner who seems to know too much, takes a perverse pleasure in toying with the police, and fits the psychological profile in unnerving ways. The film meticulously tracks the growing obsession of both detectives, not just with catching the killer, but with their own demons and moral boundaries. The pursuit becomes a psychological chess game, testing their ethics and sanity, and raising the question of what price must be paid for closure.

Cast and Characters

Denzel Washington as Joe "Deke" Deacon

Washington delivers a masterclass in subdued, internalized performance. His Deke is a man hollowed out by regret, moving with a weary gravity. Every glance and silence is loaded with the history of his failures. He is not a typical heroic detective; he is broken, driven by a need for redemption that may be forever out of reach. Washington portrays this profound fatigue and unwavering instinct with breathtaking authenticity.

Rami Malek as Jim Baxter

Malek plays Baxter as the polished counterpart to Deke's rusted relic. He is successful, confident, and believes in the system. Yet, as the case deepens, Malek expertly reveals the cracks in that facade—the creeping doubt, the hunger for a win, and the fear of becoming like the haunted man he is learning from. His performance is a compelling study of a man watching his own moral compass spin.

Jared Leto as Albert Sparma

Leto's transformative performance as Albert Sparma is the film's unsettling heartbeat. He creates a character who is eerily calm, intellectually arrogant, and deeply enigmatic. Sparma exists in the gray area; he is less a mustache-twirling villain and more a sinister provocateur who revels in psychological manipulation. Leto's commitment to the role's peculiar physicality and cadence makes every scene he inhabits intensely unpredictable and uncomfortable, earning him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

Supporting Cast

The film is bolstered by strong, grounded supporting work from actors like Chris Bauer, Michael Hyatt, and Terry Kinney, who portray colleagues and superiors. They represent the institutional world the two detectives are slowly detaching from, providing a necessary anchor to the procedural aspects of the story and highlighting the isolating nature of Deke and Baxter's escalating obsession.

Director and Style

Director John Lee Hancock, known for more straightforward dramas like The Blind Side, makes a sharp turn into moody, atmospheric noir. His style here is deliberate and patient, prioritizing character psychology over plot mechanics. The film is a clear homage to the gritty police procedurals of the 1970s and 90s, like Se7en and Klute, but with a more melancholic, existential tempo. The cinematography by John Schwartzman uses the sun-bleached, sprawling landscape of LA and its dark, claustrophobic interiors to create a sense of inescapable dread. The score by Thomas Newman is minimalist and haunting, often using silence as effectively as sound to build tension. Hancock's direction is not interested in cheap jumpscares or clear-cut answers; instead, he crafts an immersive, oppressive mood where the true crime is the erosion of the self.

Themes and Impact

The Little Things is rich with thematic depth. Its central, titular theme explores how the smallest details—a misplaced item, a casual remark, a gut feeling—can accumulate into life-altering consequences. This applies to both solving crimes and the personal baggage the detectives carry.

The film is profoundly concerned with obsession and its cost. The hunt for the killer becomes a mirror, forcing both Deke and Baxter to confront their own darkness, their capacity for violence, and what they are willing to sacrifice for the illusion of justice. Closely tied to this is the theme of guilt and redemption. Deke is a ghost chasing absolution, and the film questions whether such a thing is possible in a world of gray morals.

Ultimately, it subverts the traditional crime thriller payoff. The impact of the film lies not in a triumphant reveal, but in its psychologically ambiguous and unsettling conclusion. It suggests that sometimes the mystery is less about the "who" and more about the irreversible damage left in the wake of the search. This challenging resolution is what fuels much of the film's divisive reception, making it a movie that lingers in the mind for its uncomfortable questions rather than its satisfying answers.

Why Watch

Watch The Little Things if you are a fan of atmospheric, character-driven thrillers that prioritize mood over action. It is essential viewing for admirers of its three lead actors, each delivering some of their most nuanced and compelling work. Washington’s world-weariness, Malek’s controlled unraveling, and Leto’s deeply disturbing charisma create a captivating trifecta of performances.

This film is for those who appreciate the slow burn of classic noir and are willing to sit with ambiguity and moral discomfort. If you seek a tidy, fast-paced mystery with a clear villain and a heroic resolution, this may not satisfy. But if you are drawn to stories about the psychological toll of violence, the ghosts of past failures, and the haunting question of whether the ends can ever justify the means, The Little Things offers a profoundly engrossing and thought-provoking experience. It’s a grim, masterfully acted descent into the shadows of the human psyche, dressed in the faded linen of a 90s crime drama.