听 User Rating 
Contains some strong sex and language
Five years after his acclaimed feature debut, writer/director Todd Field is back 'In The Bedroom' with Little Children. A paedophile creates minor hysteria in suburbia, but the focus is on Kate Winslet and Patrick Wilson (Hard Candy) who both shine as illicit lovers rebelling against parenthood. It's a beautifully insightful story co-written by Field and Tom Perrotta (based on his novel) that is sometimes unsettling but always engrossing, and ultimately heart-warming.
Mothers gather in the park to watch over their children but Sarah sits apart. An amusing, if initially jarring, Jackanory-style voiceover informs us she is "not like them"; Sarah (Winslet) is a literature buff who had dreams before she had babies. When failed law student Brad (Wilson) strides in amongst the gaggle, their shared sense of unfulfilled potential sparks a summer of unprecedented heat...
"HYPNOTIC PERFORMANCES"
Perrotta never passes judgment on the characters, instead gently teasing out the childish hurts that cripple them as adults. The portrayal of the sex pest (Ronald James McGorvey) feels a tad manipulative and the dodgy internet habits of Sarah's husband (Gregg Edelman) is an example of over-egging, but hypnotic performances rise above. Even in a minor role as Brad's wife, Jennifer Connelly adds another layer to this richly textured story. It's a mature piece of filmmaking, bursting with life and vigour.
