‘Little’ Review – Little On Offer

The 2019 comedy movie ‘Little’ directed by Tina Gordon is a little like the famous funny film ’13 Going On 30′ in REVERSE. In the latter, a 13-year-old who is often bullied wishes to be an adult and finds her wish fulfilled when she wakes up as a successful 30-year-old the next day. ‘Little’ on the other hand is about Jordan Sanders (Regina Hall), a successful ‘boss-woman’ who often bullies those around her; one day she wakes up to find herself transformed to her 13-year-old self. This weird magical change happens just days before a crucial business pitch meet and Jordan’s assistant is forced to become her stand-in and babysitter.

Body-swap films are usually fun, and ‘Little’ has it’s bright moments, most of it comes after the older Jordan becomes her teen self. It’s actor Marsai Martin (she plays the younger Jordan) who makes this film worth watching, with her impeccable acting. For a teenager, Marsai gets the tone and mannerisms of an older woman absolutely right. However, there is just not enough story to keep this comedy interesting. Most jokes are recycled and some sequences that are meant to be hilarious do not evoke any emotion in the viewer except for an urge to press the fast-forward button.

At the core of it, ‘Little’ is an anti-bullying film, which shows how people who are bullied as kids often turn into bullies themselves. “Attack them before they attack you” becomes older Jordan’s mantra, because she was often pushed to the corner by her peers when she was in school. When she becomes a rich businesswoman, her assistant April Williams (Issa Ray) is at the receiving end of most of her passive-aggressiveness.

There are a lot of plot-holes in the movie, little details that the makers miss, but it hits the viewers. For example, when little Jordan is forced to go back to school, she befriends a bunch of kids, takes them to her apartment for a make-over and somehow has clothes that would even fit the two teen boys she brings along. Where did these clothes magically appear in the closet of the lady who evidently hates kids? It would’ve made more sense if she took them shopping first.

As far as the cinematography is concerned, it’s quite a treat to the eyes; especially the lavish flat Jordan lives in. It’s very swanky and might make some viewers wish they were richer. The film has a mild ‘Mean Girls’ meets ‘Devil Wears Prada’ vibe, probably because of the over-the-top costumes the lead likes to wear – flashy pink pantsuits, cheetah print shirts, leather skirts, stuff like that. The background score is not too bad either.

All that said, ‘Little’ has little to offer its viewers in terms of both content and comedy. And a talented cast cannot keep you interested in a weak script (said this in so many reviews that I’ve lost count). The writers fail the actors again. It’s a 5/10 from me.