When a movie like The Little Things looks to shop itself out to the market, getting an Academy Award winner certainly helps. Landing someone like Denzel Washington helps even more, as his intensity is a natural fit for a murder mystery of this ilk. But writer/director John Lee Hancock went for the hat trick, and he nabbed himself a stacked lineup of three Oscar winners. Because Washington is joined by Rami Malek and Jared Leto in this crime thriller about a methodical killer and those dedicated to catching them.
From what’s shown in the trailer to The Little Things, Denzel Washington’s Deputy Sheriff Joe Deacon is a law enforcement professional who used to be part of the police department itself. Though he may have left one badge for another, his sense of duty still pervades; and it comes back stronger than ever when a series of murders starts to lure him back into the game. With his instincts sharp, and his sense of justice unwavering, Deputy Sheriff Deacon is going to do what he has to in order to make sure that justice is served; which could lead to some dangerous undertakings.
Seeing Denzel Washington go back into detective mode is something that’ll never stop feeling cozy. The legendary actor’s resume is chock full of movies like Devil In A Blue Dress, Out of Time, Déjà Vu, and of course Training Day; so it’s hard not to sit here and name all the times Washington has been on the case on the big screen. But with The Little Things, it feels like he’s crossing over into David Fincher-style territory, as the look and feel of this particular string of cases invokes memories of Zodiac and Mindhunter; which should make the lack of a third season sting a little less.
Even more exciting is the fact that Jared Leto is a potential suspect in The Little Things’ central mystery, which is going to lead to him and Denzel Washington going on a cat and mouse spree through the heart of this moody suspense tale. With Leto and Washington going head to head, and Rami Malek being included in the overall endgame, there’s sure to be flaring tempers, and more than a couple surprises in what already looks like an early 2021 hit.
In the vein of modern crime stories like the ones we’ve mentioned above, The Little Things absolutely looks like it’s going to, at the very least, present a mystery that should keep everyone guessing. And with Oscar season being extended into the new year, this movie could net some of its already prestigious cast some potential future wins. We’ll see what happens when The Little Things debuts on January 29th, both in theaters and on HBO Max. Though if you want to see what other movies are looking to crack the case of box office success in the new year, there’s plenty of suspects listed on our 2021 release schedule.
