Denzel Washingtoncontinues to dominate Netflix as his panned 2021 thrillerThe Little Thingshit the top of the Netflix chart in the U.S. and made it to a second place position globally. The movie, which was simultaneously released in cinemas and on Max (then HBO Max), only just managed to make back its budget from the restricted box office, and did not fare too well with critics, but it has proven to be another hit for Washington onNetflix.
The Little Things
Kern County Deputy Sheriff Joe Deacon is sent to Los Angeles in the search for a serial killer who is terrorizing the city. Starring Denzel Washington, Jared Leto, and Rami Malek.
The Little Thingsboasts a cast including Washington, Jared Leto, and Rami Malek, but despite the stellar talent, the film only managed to score 45% on Rotten Tomatoes, even though audiences were a little more kind with a 67% approval rate. Now finding a new home on Netflix, the film has followed therecent popularity of Washington’sThe Equalizer 3, and went one step further to jump to the top of Netflix’s US movie chart for week-ending April 7.
What makes the success ofThe Little Thingseven more impressive and unexpected is that the movie took almost three decades to finally debut in cinemas. The original script forThe Little Thingswas written in 1993 by John Lee Hancock. The noir thriller was written when dark, psychological thrillers such asThe Silence of the Lambs, but it never materialized despite industry giantssuch as Steven Spielberg, Clint Eastwood, and Danny DeVito being attached to direct at various points. Many years later, Hancock himself would be the one to direct the movie.
The Little Things Is Rooted in the Past
While many of the reviews ofThe Little Thingsmake note that it feels very much like a “throwback” thriller, due to its 1990s setting, there is a very simple reason for that – Hancock refused to update it when he finally stepped behind the camera to direct the film. The film takes place in the time it was written, and, for that reason, brings a lot of authenticity to the period of time in which it takes place.
Although the decision to have a sense of nostalgia woven into the fabric of the story did not appeal to all critics, the film portrays the challenging work of detectives in a time when they could not use a smartphone or modern surveillance to track down their targets. With this kind of nostalgia being at an all-time high right now, the success of the movie has found on Netflix is probably not that surprising, especially considering Washington’s popularity.
The Little Things Ending Explained: Who Was the Killer?
Discover everything there is to know about the confusing twist ending of John Lee Hancock’s The Little Things.
Last month, Washington’s thrillerThe Equalizer 3found itself back in the Netflix Top Ten, despite being on the platform for two months. The actor, who has been best known for starring in numerous Oscar-nominated dramas, hasfound himself a second windin many action thrillers in the last decade, andThe Little Thingsis just another title to add to his movies that are finding new audiences thanks to the might of Netflix’s reach.
The Little Things, andThe Equalizer 3, are both available on Netflix.
