Twenty years on, Todd Field’s Little Children remains a standout literary adaptation and a reminder that a book-to-screen project can become its own thing. This week’s anniversary is the perfect reason to revisit the film that earned Jackie Earle Haley an Oscar nomination, gave Kate Winslet an Oscar-nominated role, and turned Tom Perrotta’s 2004 novel into a piercing suburban drama. Here are eight things you didn’t know about the film.
The sink scene left Kate Winslet bruised
Kate Winslet said she was left with a bruised bottom after filming her sex scene in a sink. It is one of those behind-the-scenes details that matches the film’s unflinching look at its flawed individuals.
The script deliberately departed from the book
Director Todd Field and novelist Tom Perrotta intended to take the story in a separate and somewhat different direction than the novel. Perrotta said, “When Todd and I began collaborating on the script, we were hoping to make something new out of the material, rather than simply reproducing the book onto film.”
Cameras began rolling on July 25, 2005
Shooting began on July 25, 2005. The resulting film is a 2006 American satirical melodrama directed by Todd Field, based on the 2004 novel by Tom Perrotta, who co-wrote the screenplay with Field.
A stacked ensemble brought the suburb to life
Alongside Kate Winslet and Patrick Wilson, the film stars Jennifer Connelly, Jackie Earle Haley, Noah Emmerich, Gregg Edelman, Phyllis Somerville, and Will Lyman. Winslet plays Sarah Pierce, an unhappy housewife who has an affair with a married neighbor, played by Wilson.
The affair starts with a dare
Sarah Pierce and Brad Adamson become friendly and, on a dare to shock gossipy housewives, kiss in the park. They resolve not to act on their mutual attraction, and start meeting at the public pool under the guise of play dates for their kids.
Rotten Tomatoes was impressed
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an 81% approval rating based on 159 reviews with an average rating of 7.7/10. The site’s critical consensus states, “Little Children takes a penetrating look at suburbia and its flawed individuals with an unflinching yet humane eye.”
Metacritic called it generally favorable
Metacritic assigned the film a weighted average score of 75 out of 100 based on 34 critics, indicating “generally favorable reviews.” The film was well-received.
Three Oscar nominations followed
The film received three Academy Award nominations: Best Actress for Kate Winslet, Best Supporting Actor for Jackie Earle Haley, and Best Adapted Screenplay for Todd Field and Tom Perrotta. Winslet and Haley received Academy Award nominations for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor.
What is your favourite piece of Little Children trivia? Tell us which fact surprised you most.
Facts from Wikipedia: Little Children (film), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Film images from TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.
