“The genesis of acting is seeing. Observation, Understanding what makes behavior” says a drama teacher in ‘Little Men.’ Writer-director Ira Sachs delivers a poignant melodrama about modern New York City. The film is shot in a simple, naturalistic way that makes you aware of everyday life. There is not one false note in the acting. Independent filmmaking doesn’t get much better than this story about childhood friendships and economic challenges that divide classes. This is a coming-of-age tale dealing with the gentrification of a neighborhood. Sachs adeptly shows us different points of view and never paints one character as either the villain or hero. They feel like real people adapting to the changes taking place around them. ‘Little Men’ is a real indie gem.
The story centers on the burgeoning friendship between two 13-year-old boys Jake (Theo Taplitz), an aspiring painter and Tony (Michael Barbieri), an aspiring actor with an Al Pacino vibe to his personality. Jake’s grandfather dies and leaves his family a Brooklyn brownstone. Jake’s father Brian (Greg Kinnear), a struggling actor and his psychotherapist wife Kathy (Jennifer Ehle), the actual breadwinner of the family decide to move into the home. On the bottom floor is a mom-and-pop boutique owned by a Chilean woman Leonor (Paulina Garcia) who was a close friend to Brian’s father and never raised her rent for years. Since the neighborhood is now gentrifying, the rents have sky-rocketed to triple the rates that Leonor is currently paying.
As the adult conflict unfolds, the two boys quickly bond with each other. Although they come from different socioeconomic backgrounds, they form a solid friendship. That’s the gist of the story. The teens don’t let class divisions get in the way of forming a meaningful friendship. On the other hand, tensions rise between the parents. There are no real bad guys in this story but Sachs creates realistic adults with ulterior motives. Since Brian is dealing with an unsuccessful acting career, raising the rent on Leonor’s shop is his way to compensate and bring in more money for his family. He is also getting pressure from his sister Audrey (Talia Balsam) who feels like Leonor has been taking advantage of low rent for too long. She urges him to charge her more or serve her an eviction notice. Leonor is far from playing the sweet and innocent role. Every time she inhales from her cigarettes, you watch her seething with resentment. She’s essentially fighting for her livelihood.
The dispute between the parents impacts the boys’ relationship. In protest, they decide to give their parents the silent treatment. Some of the best scenes involve Tony and Jake simply skating through the streets of Brooklyn with no dialogue and a passionate soundtrack. The most powerful scene is where Tony and his acting teacher do an improvisational exercise. It shows how Tony is naturally gifted and seriously pursuing his dream to become an actor. While the boys go to school and enjoy playing video games, the parents get nastier and nastier with each other. Why doesn’t Kathy get annoyed with Brian’s unsuccessful acting career? It’s never brought up but his flaws are noticeable to Leonor. Knowing that she is powerless to stop the inevitable rent increase, she seems to get some satisfaction at chipping away at Brian’s weak points. Their arguments are similar to a Chekhov play.
The brilliance of Sach’s film is how he subtly illustrates the differences between childhood and adulthood. Whereas the boy’s friendship is pure, the parent’s relationship is complicated by the pressures of money and class. The tragedy is that there is no easy way to save the fate of the shop. The problem is that Leonor cannot afford the rate increase and Brian needs the additional income for his family. There are thousands of stories like this across the country but it is the natural way Sach’s tells this one that makes ‘Little Men’ so special. Don’t miss this superb indie film when it opens at your local art-house theater.
