7/17/06: Little Man (2006)The only screening we went to last week was
You, Me and Dupree, which was moronic across the political spectrum.
Little Man, however, was highly anticipated as a masterpiece of lowbrow comedy. How could you go wrong with a concept that had already worked for both a Looney Tunes cartoon
and a Little Rascals short?
Little Man also promised to be a groin-whacking fiesta like we haven’t seen since they quit making those
Three Ninjas movies. Still, we didn’t know there was political content until we saw the reviews.
Little Man was universally despised in a way that meant our nation’s film critics had seen something terrifying. Specifically, right-wing content.
Let’s concede that the humor of these Wayans Brothers—writer/director Keenan and writers/stars Shawn and Marlon—isn’t for everybody. It’s hard to get excited over the first two
Scary Movie entries. But the Wayans also struck bling with the parody of
Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood. The film’s most comic moments were also sincere celebrations of family and decency.
We’ve got plenty of that again with
Little Man. Midget diamond thief Calvin (Marlon Wayans) poses as an abandoned infant to infiltrate the home of wannabe dad Darryl (Shawn Wayans). He’s depending on the decency of Darryl and his wife. Calvin then finds himself surrounded by way too much decency.
One attempt to reclaim a stolen diamond leads to vigilant moms beating his crony into the ground. There’s also a failed getaway where Calvin takes off in the family car. A heroic soccer mom believes he’s been kidnapped, and relentlessly pursues him in her family van—multi-tasking all the way.
Critics would already hate the film’s emphasis on family and fellowship. Then the Wayans commit career suicide as MILFish Alex Bornstein gives a speech about choosing motherhood over a career. Darryl’s successful wife has doubts about getting pregnant, but Bornstein’s character provides a sincere tribute to treasuring self-worth over financial worth.
That’s followed by some toilet humor involving castor oil. Don’t worry, though. It’s not too long before people get hit in the groin again.
Bonus political content: John Witherspoon as Darryl’s father-in-law, who foils Calvin’s first getaway thanks to a gun in the house. There’s also a headline in his newspaper that reads, “Social Security Gone In Five Years.” That estimate’s a little off, but more realistic than anything you’ll hear in
An Inconvenient Truth.
Make it your own: Little Man is in theaters now—and if you live in New York City, you can pick up your DVD in Manhattan on 14th Street in the tunnel between the L train and the 1 train.
