The Little Things (2021) (4K Ultra HD)
Directed By: John Lee Hancock
STARRING: Denzel Washington, Rami Malek, Jared Leto
Rated: UR/Region O/2:39/4K (2160p)/Number of Discs 1
Available from Warner Brothers
The Little Things is a crime thriller that thinks it’s whispering ominously in your ear, when really it’s just breathing heavily and hoping you’ll call it “moody.” But here’s the thing—it kind of works.
Denzel Washington plays Joe “I’m Totally Fine” Deacon, a cop with a past so haunted it might as well have its own zip code. He’s paired with Rami Malek’s Jim Baxter, who looks like he spends more time rehearsing how to stand dramatically than solving crimes (which, to be fair, is very on brand for Rami Malek). Enter Jared Leto as a creep so committed to being suspicious that you half expect him to stop mid-scene and ask if anyone’s seen his basement full of mannequin heads.
The movie isn’t about the case so much as the vibes. And those vibes are bleak. Dark alleys, neon-lit diners, motel rooms that smell like mildew and bad decisions—it’s basically True Detective: The Budget Motel Years. The actual mystery? Don’t worry about it too much. If you’re here for a neat bow-wrapped ending, you’re watching the wrong movie. This one’s more into ambiguous stares and “maybe evil is inside us all” speeches.
Where The Little Things succeeds is atmosphere. It’s slow, yes, but it’s the kind of slow that lets Denzel chew the scenery like it owes him rent. Watching him mutter, glare, and smirk his way through is worth the price of admission alone. Malek tries to match his gravitas, but let’s be honest—he always looks like a guy who’s about to explain cryptocurrency to you. And Jared Leto? He doesn’t act so much as ooze. He’s unsettling enough to make you uncomfortable, but also cartoonish enough that you’re kind of entertained by how far he leans into “walking red flag.”
The film’s title is appropriate: it’s all about the little touches—lingering shots, uneasy silences, the weight of Denzel’s every sigh. Sure, the script sometimes feels like it was assembled from a “gritty cop movie” starter pack, but the cast elevates it into something that lingers.
Verdict: The Little Things isn’t perfect, but it’s a brooding, stylish throwback carried by three actors trying to out-intense each other. It may not solve its mystery, but it nails the mood—and sometimes, that’s enough.
Extras
- Four Shade of Blue – Featurette
- A Contrast In Styles – Featurette
- Optional English SDH, Latin Spanish, French-Parisian, French- Parisian-Forced, Portuguese-Brazilian subtitles
