You have seen both of them on their way to super-stardom, on both TV and cinema screens. Tessa Thompson, in addition to the cool corporate CEO in "Westworld", has also served notice in the commercial cinema in "Thor: Ragnarok" and "Men in Black: International". Lily James, following her unforgettable role of quick-witted and endearing Lady Rose MacClare in "Downton Abbey", has shined in "Baby Driver" and "Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again". But you have not really seen these two brilliant young women's performances until you watch them in their neither glamorous, heroic nor hilarious roles "Little Woods".
Critics have compared this movie to "Winter bones" which gave Jennifer Lawrence a breakthrough platform to demonstrate her acting ability. Likewise, "Little Woods" is a realistic story about people who, caught in the trap of poverty and missteps, refuse to give up. With resilience and whatever means they have, not always ethical or legal, they strive to make amends and make things better. They are survivors. What's more, most importantly, there is love, as punctuated in the closing dialogue.
I'll outline briefly the plot, as you do need a plot to carry the story. Ollie (Thompson) is in mourning, grieving by sleeping on the floor of her recently deceased mother's room. She finally breaks out of her self-imposed cell of sorrow and goes about her daily business of driving a primitive van to provide coffee and lunch to laborers at an oil site. She used to provide more, drug from borderline to illegal. But she has come clean, as we learn from a desperate midnight caller looking for a fix. She is sympathetic and compassionate as this old customer is suffering from a wound and needs drugs to suppress the pain simply because he cannot afford to stop working. But Ollie is on probation and the timeline runs like a ticking clock throughout the movie. She tells the unfortunate caller that she has 10 more day and must stick to it. At a later scene in the kindly parole officer's office, he reminds her that there are only 8 more days to go. However, the next time we hear reference to this timeline, with 4 days to go, she is back in the drug business, for a reason.
Ollie's sister (through adoption) Deb (Deb), working as a waitress, has a son from her fling with an irresponsible cad Ian six or seven years ago. If she has failed in many things, she is at least a good mother, bringing up Johnny as a pleasant kid who is unbelievably well-mannered. Johnny also loves Auntie Ollie although the sisters haven't seen much of each other lately. Ollie is unhappy with being left alone as the sole caretaker of their dying mother. But then, on a difference level, she recognizes that her sister's predicament as a single mother. When Deb gets pregnant, again with Ian, she comes to Ollie for help.
I am not going into the details of plot development. Suffices to say that the sister come across obstacles arising from various circumstances. Nor would I elaborate the highly emotional macro issues of drug dealing and abortion. The superb performances of the two lead successfully focus on what this movie wants to depict: a difficult journey of survival this pair of sisters-by-adoption goes through that deepens and reaffirms their love for each other. The ending is open but with a palpable note of optimism, despite everything.
Critics unanimously agree that the two leads are superb. There is also a good support cast. Interesting to note that, while there are a few menacing and suspenseful scenes, there aren't any real villains to speak of. Lance Riddick I saw recently in "John Wicks Chapter 3" as the second-in-command of The Continental who, alongside Wicks, sprayed bullets of all shapes and sizes till hell freezes over. Here in "Little Woods", his role at the entirely opposite pole of the spectrum, the aforementioned fatherly parole officer. A familiar and never fully recognized face, James Badge Dales plays the aforementioned irresponsible man Ian, whom you will have no difficulty in despising and not quite bring yourself to truly hate. Nearest to a villain is Bill (accurately menacingly played by Luke Kirby) who persistently tries to bring Ollie back into the business, particularly smuggling drugs (mostly legal, meaning the drugs, not the smuggling) across the Canadian border. His motivation is largely business rather than a personal viciousness.
This movie is a rare gem. The plot, tension and suspense are just sufficient to infuse a measure of "entertainment" value, but wisely avoid distracting from the main event: the performances of the two leads.
Critics have compared this movie to "Winter bones" which gave Jennifer Lawrence a breakthrough platform to demonstrate her acting ability. Likewise, "Little Woods" is a realistic story about people who, caught in the trap of poverty and missteps, refuse to give up. With resilience and whatever means they have, not always ethical or legal, they strive to make amends and make things better. They are survivors. What's more, most importantly, there is love, as punctuated in the closing dialogue.
I'll outline briefly the plot, as you do need a plot to carry the story. Ollie (Thompson) is in mourning, grieving by sleeping on the floor of her recently deceased mother's room. She finally breaks out of her self-imposed cell of sorrow and goes about her daily business of driving a primitive van to provide coffee and lunch to laborers at an oil site. She used to provide more, drug from borderline to illegal. But she has come clean, as we learn from a desperate midnight caller looking for a fix. She is sympathetic and compassionate as this old customer is suffering from a wound and needs drugs to suppress the pain simply because he cannot afford to stop working. But Ollie is on probation and the timeline runs like a ticking clock throughout the movie. She tells the unfortunate caller that she has 10 more day and must stick to it. At a later scene in the kindly parole officer's office, he reminds her that there are only 8 more days to go. However, the next time we hear reference to this timeline, with 4 days to go, she is back in the drug business, for a reason.
Ollie's sister (through adoption) Deb (Deb), working as a waitress, has a son from her fling with an irresponsible cad Ian six or seven years ago. If she has failed in many things, she is at least a good mother, bringing up Johnny as a pleasant kid who is unbelievably well-mannered. Johnny also loves Auntie Ollie although the sisters haven't seen much of each other lately. Ollie is unhappy with being left alone as the sole caretaker of their dying mother. But then, on a difference level, she recognizes that her sister's predicament as a single mother. When Deb gets pregnant, again with Ian, she comes to Ollie for help.
I am not going into the details of plot development. Suffices to say that the sister come across obstacles arising from various circumstances. Nor would I elaborate the highly emotional macro issues of drug dealing and abortion. The superb performances of the two lead successfully focus on what this movie wants to depict: a difficult journey of survival this pair of sisters-by-adoption goes through that deepens and reaffirms their love for each other. The ending is open but with a palpable note of optimism, despite everything.
Critics unanimously agree that the two leads are superb. There is also a good support cast. Interesting to note that, while there are a few menacing and suspenseful scenes, there aren't any real villains to speak of. Lance Riddick I saw recently in "John Wicks Chapter 3" as the second-in-command of The Continental who, alongside Wicks, sprayed bullets of all shapes and sizes till hell freezes over. Here in "Little Woods", his role at the entirely opposite pole of the spectrum, the aforementioned fatherly parole officer. A familiar and never fully recognized face, James Badge Dales plays the aforementioned irresponsible man Ian, whom you will have no difficulty in despising and not quite bring yourself to truly hate. Nearest to a villain is Bill (accurately menacingly played by Luke Kirby) who persistently tries to bring Ollie back into the business, particularly smuggling drugs (mostly legal, meaning the drugs, not the smuggling) across the Canadian border. His motivation is largely business rather than a personal viciousness.
This movie is a rare gem. The plot, tension and suspense are just sufficient to infuse a measure of "entertainment" value, but wisely avoid distracting from the main event: the performances of the two leads.