Director: Tina Gordan
Writer: Tracy Oliver
Cast: Regina Hall, Issa Rae, Marsai Martin, and Justin Hartley
Jordan is a tech mogul with a chip on her shoulder. After years of being bullied as a child, she grew up to be a bully herself, wreaking havoc on anyone who crosses her path. Of all of the people, Jordan terrorizes her assistant April gets it the worst. All of Jordyn’s bad behavior comes to a screeching halt when she’s cursed by a little girl she insulted. The curse makes Jordan look 13 again, forcing her to relive the worst years of her life and perhaps learn a lesson or two.
We’ve seen this story many times over the years in films like 13 Going On 30, Freaky Friday, and 17 Again. Little is a modern take on the classic body swap comedy. Though as formulaic as its predecessors, with predictable moments and a typical happy ending, it is also an entertaining film that breaks ground as one of the few comedies led by a predominantly black female cast. Not since 2017’s wildly successful Girls Trip have we had a comedic film with black women as leads and not just a sassy sidekick or assistant. The original idea for the film was cultivated four years ago by 10-year-old actress Marsai Martin on the set of ABC sitcom, Black-ish. After seeing 1988’s Big for the first time, Martin presented the idea to Black-ish Creator Kenya Burns and the result is a comical fantasy with a clear anti-bullying message.
The film stars, Regina Hall as the hilariously overbearing tech mogul Jordan Sanders. A miserable lonely woman who gets her comeuppance after being cursed by a little girl she offended. Hall is wildly entertaining as the boss from hell. One of the funniest scenes of the film is Jordan leading a team meeting taking apart her staff one by one with comical insults. The scene ends with a manic Jordan struggling at first but eventually flinging one of her staff out of the meeting and into a wall. Insecure’s Issa Rae is Jordan’s long-suffering assistant April, and the opposite of her manic boss. April is meek and quiet but finds her spunk along the way. As for April, Rae brings her trademark blundering but charismatic persona to this project. April is endearing and funny with her awkward flirtations and wit. Though Hall and Rae are great in their respective roles Marsai Martin is the breakout star of Little. Martin may not be as seasoned as her co-stars but she holds her own as the cursed Jordan Sanders. At just 14 years old, Martin is well on her way to carving a name for herself as a performer and Hollywood executive. We expect Little to be the start of a very big career.
Little opens nationwide Friday, April 12, 2019.