Little Boy (2015)

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Movie
German title Little boy
Original title Little boy
Country of production USA , Mexico
original language English
Publishing year 2015
length 106 minutes
Rod
Director Alejandro Monteverde
script Alejandro Monteverde
Pepe Portillo
production Alejandro Monteverde
Leo Severino
music Stephan Altman
Mark Foster
camera Andrew Cadelago
cut Meg Ramsay
Joan Sobel
Fernando Villena
occupation

Little Boy (English for "little boy") is a US-American-Mexican drama from 2015. The director was the Mexican Alejandro Gomez Monteverde . The music was composed by Stephan Altmann and Mark Foster.

The film premiere took place on April 24, 2015 through "Open Road Films". Jakob Salvati, Emily Watson, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa and Michael Rapaport can be seen in the leading roles. The film was co-produced by Metanoia Films and Santa Fé Films . The story is about a seven-year-old boy named Pepper Flynt Busbee, who is completely shocked when his father is forced to serve in the army during World War II .

action

Pepper has had a very close relationship with his father from birth. When his father hugs him for the first time, he immediately mentioned how small Pepper is. Later, when Pepper is examined by a doctor, his mother asks if he is a dwarf. The doctor replies that the term is offensive and suggests that Pepper should be called just a little boy . But at school he is constantly bullied because of his small height.

After World War II broke out, Pepper's older brother was exempted from military service because of flat feet and his father was called up instead, which makes Pepper deeply sad. Shortly after his father's departure, Pepper heard the Bible verse: “For I truly say to you: If you have faith like a mustard seed, you may say to this mountain: Get up from there! so he will rise; and nothing will be impossible for you ”(Mt 17:20). After hearing this, he decided to build enough trust to bring his father back home. So he asked his friend and mentor, Priest Oliver, how to strengthen his faith. He has already recommended some methods to him and has also told him that believing with hate is useless. The film shows very intensely how the Americans hated the Japanese. That's why priest Olive recommended that Pepper befriend a Japanese man.

This is not easy for Pepper, because the anti-Japanese attitude, which Pepper has internalized because it has become dominant in his society, is difficult for him to overcome. But he followed the priest's advice and met the Japanese Hashimoto. Their friendship helps Pepper cope better with his problems. When Pepper and his family receive news that their father has fallen and is buried in the Philippines, Hashimoto even goes to the memorial service to show him respect. Pepper is impressed and later discusses the mutual loss of their families with Hashimoto and how important belief is. And so it seems to Pepper like a divine miracle when his family receives the blessed news that the father has not fallen after all. The man who had actually died had stolen the boots with the dog tags on the laces. He was mistakenly identified as Pepper's father when he was shot. The family leaves town to visit James in the hospital, and Pepper takes a pair of boots for him. He had bought it with his father before he went to war. When they arrive, they find that James has mild amnesia due to a head injury . But when Pepper addresses his father by his long-standing nickname "Partner" and gives him his gift, his memory seems to be back. The family embraces and James touches his family's faces.

Finally the story ends with the message that anything is possible through strong faith.

background

The title of the film is a reference to the US atomic bomb Little Boy , which was dropped on Hiroshima . The title is also a reference to Peppers greatness.

criticism

On Rotten Tomatoes , the film received a 23% rating based on 52 reviews from critics, with an average rating of 4.5 / 10. The website's critical consensus is: “Well meant, but manipulative on a terribly misguided scale. Little Boy is too rare a belief-based film that many viewers legitimately find offensive. "

At Metacritic , the film received a rating of 30 out of 100 based on 24 reviews.

Alan Scherstuhl, who for The Village Voice described Little Boy as a "cynical, toxic, deeply stupid movie".

Tim Drake of the National Catholic Register said the film “reflects the Holy Trinity.” Jakob “Salvati makes his role a delightful delight. It is a pleasure to see him. [...] The film is a nostalgic parable “about faith. “It's not what you would call a belief-based film, however. It is more of a mature story that has Catholic elements in it. It treats both Father Oliver's beliefs and Hashimoto's lack of religious beliefs with respect. ”However, Drake has objections to the way he treats atomic bombs in Japan.

National Review's Kathryn Jean Lopez judged the film's message to be "subtle and luminous" and that the film was "remarkably sweet in the slightest way, but also in the most humane way [...] a delicate film that inspires hope". She summarized it as a "heartbreaking and encouraging film" that "explored life and death and faith, hope and love."

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Film review by Rotten Tomatoes , accessed on November 18, 2018.
  2. ↑ Review at metacritic.com , accessed on November 18, 2018.
  3. ↑ Alan Scherstuhl: Clement's Masterpiece Forbidden Games Shows How Far Films of Faith Have Fallen at villagevoice.com, accessed on November 18, 2018.
  4. ↑ Tim Drake: 'Little Boy': A Parable About Faith at ncregister.com, accessed November 18, 2018.
  5. ↑ Kathryn Jean Lopez: A 'Little' New Movie Packs a Powerful Punch at nationalreview.com, accessed November 18, 2018.