Anything which invites my intellectual capacity to keep itself geared up and working is well worthwhile, and is precisely where this film scores: you have to be well tuned in, especially in the early stages, to follow where everything is leading. In this respect, this is no ordinary film in what would be called the `noir' or thriller genre. `Little Boy Blue' is too far off the run-of-the-mill productions of this kind, precisely because it delves into psychological aspects of what some may call a dysfunctional family. Under Antonio Tibaldi's taught and intelligent directing both Ryan Phillippe and Nastassja Kinski give the best performances I have ever seen them in. But both are topped by a splendid John Savage, veteran of Viet-Nam and now alcoholic, whose reading of his rôle is simply splendid, well controlled, and in the end very convincing.
The mysteriousness which pervades in this thriller is due to it not being a straightforward dishing up of countless other similar stories dreamed up for less exiguous viewers: tactical discontinuity heightens sensibility and forces you to take note of what is going on - or at least, the part of what is going on that the film shows you. Do not get me wrong: there is no incongruity. The telling of the story is practically faultless, such that the directing and interpretation rise to the occasion.
One can argue the pros and cons of the plot, probably because the film does not follow simple formulas and models which might well make more than a few viewers lose track, but there is no denying its mysterious intentions. Surprisingly few voters on IMDb, and my vote is a little higher than at present.
The mysteriousness which pervades in this thriller is due to it not being a straightforward dishing up of countless other similar stories dreamed up for less exiguous viewers: tactical discontinuity heightens sensibility and forces you to take note of what is going on - or at least, the part of what is going on that the film shows you. Do not get me wrong: there is no incongruity. The telling of the story is practically faultless, such that the directing and interpretation rise to the occasion.
One can argue the pros and cons of the plot, probably because the film does not follow simple formulas and models which might well make more than a few viewers lose track, but there is no denying its mysterious intentions. Surprisingly few voters on IMDb, and my vote is a little higher than at present.