Body-swap comedy Little is often uncomfortable watching – and not in a good way – says Dan Slevin.
Marsai Martin as the 13-again Jordan Sanders in Little (which she executive produced). Photo: Universal
You may not realise this but the ‘Body Swap’ comedy is now a fully-fledged genre all of its own – fit to stand alongside Western and Film Noir. It’s even been featured as a competition genre in the annual 48 Hours Furious Filmmaking event and barely needed an explanation. From Freaky Friday for kids (three versions!), Tom Hanks in Big and the slightly more grown-up goings on of 13 Going on 30, these wish-fulfilment tropes continue to be popular but Little seems to be the first of these films to emerge from the wishes of an actual ten-year-old. It also looks like the production and costume design are the results of a ten-year-old’s fantasy, too.
Young actor Marsai Martin pitched the idea to her Black-ish (TVNZ On Demand) producer Kenya Barris a few years ago and now – at the age of 14 – she is officially the youngest executive producer in Hollywood history. She also stars alongside Regina Hall and Issa Rae in a film that is sporadically funny, but more often than not seems to go a nudge too far in every situation, leading to discomfort rather than belly laughs.
Regina Hall (most recently seen here in The Hate U Give) plays tech titan Jordan Sanders. Bullied as a child, she has grown a tough – not to say bullying and abusive – exterior of her own. A curse by a child she has just been rude to results in her waking up back in the body of her 13-year-old self – all teeth, hair and glasses. But still with the attitude.
Regina Hall as the adult Jordan Sanders owning the coffee shop queue in Little. Photo: Universal
This is the strength of the film – Hall as Sanders is a strong comic performance but some of the choices (especially the more adult content) just feels icky when you know the performer is still a child.
Issa Rae (also strong in The Hate U Give) as Sanders’ under-appreciated assistant is watchable but seems to have been asked to dial everything up beyond her comfort zone. And, if these are comedic representations of real American middle school and corporate life, then the country needs more than comedy to save it. There is so much meanness in this film that it ends up just feeling sad and empty.
Little is rated PG for coarse language and sexual references and is playing in whatever sessions not being occupied by Endgame and Shazam in multiplexes in cities across the country.
