The Film "Little Men" is Memorable Coming of Age Story Starring Greg Kinnear

"Little Men" is a coming of age drama that tackles major life issues seen through the eyes of two 13 year old boys who become friends living in Brooklyn.  The 2 young actors, Theo Taplitz (Jake Jardine) & Michael Barbieri (Tony Calvelli) capture the essence of dawning adolescence.  The movie is filmed in NYC/Brooklyn with a similar aesthetic & loving eye Woody Allen lends to his NYC films.  Jake's parents are played by Greg Kinnear ("Little Miss Sunshine" "06) and the incomprable Jennifer Ehle (Meryl Streep's doppelgänger.)  Ms Ehle is a Tony winning actress & accomplished film star.  The movie starts with the death of Jake's paternal grandfather who lived in Bklyn.  The grandfather bequeaths his small Bklyn brownstone with its upstairs apartment & downstairs store front to his estranged son & daughter.  "Making your way in the world today takes everything you've got  Taking a break from all your worries sure would help a lot."*  Jake's dad is an actor scratching out a living & mom a psychotherapist.  She is the family's  breadwinner. The inherited building gives Jake's family financial security;  free rent & income from leasing out the store.  At present, the store is a small boutique run by Tony's single mom who barely manages to stitch out a living for herself & her son.  The boys become tight friends.  Both are in 8th grade & share a sharp interest in the arts: acting (Tony) & an drawing (Jake.)  They also share an aspiration to get into LaGuardia School for the Arts for high school.  Dir/screenwriter Ira Sach ("Love is Strange" '14) includes a play "The Seagull" within the movie that is a metaphor for the tenuous barrier between civility and cruelty.  "Little Men" is an endearing & empathetic film that captures the complex & unexpected humor & tragedy of life.  "Life is about being adaptable; knowing when to push & knowing when to relax and backoff," according to Jake's Dad.  Jake's parents & aunt both need the income from leasing the store.  They want to be fair to Tony's mother but when push comes to shove, everyone crosses into inappropriate behaviors & manipulations.  Meanwhile, both boys are trying to naviage themselves through the turbulence brewing between their families.  "You want to be where you can see our troubles are all the same."*  You will want to see this wise & winning movie with touching performances from the entire ensemble cast.
* (Lyrics from Cheers)