The Little Things (2021)

Director: John Lee Hancock
Writer: John Lee Hancock
Starring: Denzel Washington, Rami Malek, Jared Leto, and more.

The Intro:
Here we have a film that came out of nowhere for me. A trailer popped up, and all I saw was the combination of Washington, Malek, and Leto, and I knew I was going to watch this. The thriller vibe had me locked in. Leto as a villain typically peaks my curiosity. So what could go wrong?!

IMDB Summary:
“Kern County Deputy Sheriff Joe Deacon is sent to Los Angeles for what should have been a quick evidence-gathering assignment. Instead, he becomes embroiled in the search for a serial killer who is terrorizing the city.”

The Oberrating:
Well, it kept me interested at the very least. “The Little Things” probably does what it intended to do. Unfortunately, those intentions ended up being pretty average for me. Here we have a pretty basic run-of-the-mill serial killer thriller. Let’s be real, a thriller is pretty easy to get invested in. I was locked in. Put Washington, Malek, and Leto in front of me with the thriller tag, and how could I not be? But if you were to put this up against the top of the line thriller films, this falls through the cracks instantly.

Now I have to address the three elephants in the room. Basically the whole reason why anyone was truly interested in the movie to begin with: Denzel Washington, Rami Malek, and Jared Leto.
Denzel Washington: C’mon now, you know this man got paid for this film. Denzel is and has always been the money maker. He kicks ass. Maybe not top Denzel kick-ass, but he kicks ass. He does what he can with the script and content he was given, and that is about where the buck stops.
Rami Malek: Riding the wave of his “Mr. Robot” – turned – “Bohemian Rhapsody” fame. Rami is a money maker name right now and I will not lie — I’m riding that wave too. I love what Malek can do, and yes, I am salty as hell I have not been able to lay my eyes on the Rami Bond villain. However, talent and hype aside, he puts on a passable performance here. With a little nod to an effective ending performance, he does not put on anything too special.
Jared Leto: Hooooboy… Crazy man himself. I love me a Leto performance, especially when I can get an unhinged villain from him. Here in “The Little Things” we get just that. The “maybe so, maybe not” serial killer. The prodding and poking antagonist to the Washington and Malek. His character is entertaining and creepy and probably the most popcorn fun part of the film.

The Wrap-Up:
It was a good time killer and probably a half decent introduction to the year of 2021 film. However, “The Little Things” is not something I would revisit anytime soon.

Rating: 3/5