Review

In Little Children, Sarah (Kate Winslet) arouses mild controversy at a book club meeting by labeling Madame Bovary a feminist and describing the ill-fated adulterous as heroic. While aware of her faults, Sarah understands Emma Bovary's "hunger for an alternative" and "refusal to accept a life of unhappiness." It is the same universal hunger that drives Sarah and the action of this exceptional second feature from Todd Field (In the Bedroom), who serves as director, producer and cowriter with Tom Perrotta (Election), author of the original novel.

Using pitch-perfect narration (by Will Lyman of PBS's "Frontline") that is concise in structure, playful in delivery and wide-ranging in scope, several primary characters are introduced – each of whom is trapped in a quandary between instinctual desires and the apprehensive status quo of present-day American suburbia. The focus is on Sarah and Brad (Patrick Wilson), two unfulfilled stay-at-home parents who form a friendship, flirtation and dangerous affair. Running parallel is the more obviously socially-observant story of Ronald James McGorvey (Jackie Earle Haley), a convicted sex offender whose well-publicized release from prison causes panic in a community swarming with children and their understandably phobic parents. The film analyzes the objectives of the principal characters while allowing the fearful surrounding society to pass judgment. The result includes numerous different opinions and perspectives on relatable themes, none of which are entirely unjustified.

Field and Perrotta maintain a consistent unpredictability throughout, delivering frequent moments of nail-biting tension and even paying slight homage to Jaws in one particularly unforgettable scene. The entire cast is also in top form. Kate Winslet gives one of her best performances yet, delving deeply into the desperation of her ordinarily stable character. The role of Brad seems tailor-made for Patrick Wilson's almost oblivious charm. Following up his equally impressive performance in Hard Candy, Wilson continues to show an adroit knack for tackling challenging material. Also notable are Jennifer Connelly, Noah Emmerich, Phyllis Somerville, Gregg Edelman and Jane Adams, who channels her character from Happiness for a memorable cameo. It is is the ingenious casting of Jackie Earle Haley, however, that stands out above the rest. Known best in the 1970s for his roles in The Bad News Bears and Breaking Away, Haley resurfaces as a 21st century version of Boo Radley who is struggling with a psychosexual disorder. He gives a knockout performance that has enough power and range to break hearts and haunt dreams at the same time.

Though not nearly as unnerving as it would be in the hands of filmmakers like Gaspar Noé or Todd Solondz, the film does feature some shocking content and an unusually empathetic view of taboo issues that make it unsuitable for most mainstream audiences. This explains why, though arguably superior to some nominees, it was not included in the Best Picture category at the 2006 Academy Awards. The easily squeamish will do better to avoid it while open-minded, socially-conscious viewers will not likely be disappointed.

The only real complaint about the film comes from the fact that the ending (different than the novel) leaves much to be desired. This, however, is more of a testament to the engrossing qualities of the preceding two hours than a major flaw in craftsmanship. With a little more exposure and good recommendation, Little Children has the potential to become a classic.

 -- Robert O'Neill