museumofdave Review of Little Boy Blue

Little Boy Blue (1997)

Unsettling Family Squabbles, Teen Angst, Surprisingly Gripping

[7/10 · 27 February 2013]

This fascinatingly dark film is a minor gem, teetering on the edge of film noir, a grim tale about a family with more secrets than a sixth grade school kid; as part of the set up, the viewer is lured into thinking this a simple teen angst film, with unhappy. misunderstood Ryan Phillippe gloomy, moody and in need of a girlfriend; close attention, however, reveals much more going on with his dysfunctional family than first appears, with more than one twisted secret to be uncovered--and one is a stunner! Incredibly vivid photography captures the seedy side of trashy lifestyles, a local bar not unlike a joint from Twin Peaks, the squalid insides of unkempt trailers and the edge of a scummy country pond where the kids play; all the actors are especially committed, and two young actors bond in amazingly vivid ways with older brother Jimmy (Phillippe)--this odd film not what one expects, but it delivers some creepy answers to the title's choice: Little Boy Blue.