Little Men

When 13-year-old Jake's (Theo Taplitz) grandfather dies, his family moves from Manhattan back into his father's old Brooklyn home. There, Jake befriends the charismatic Tony (Michael Barbieri), whose single mother Leonor (Paulina Garcia), a dressmaker from Chile, runs the shop downstairs. Soon, Jake's parents Brian (Greg Kinnear) and Kathy (Jennifer Ehle) -- one, a struggling actor, the other, a psychotherapist -- ask Leonor to sign a new, steeper lease on her store. For Leonor, the proposed new rent is untenable, and a feud ignites between the adults. At first, Jake and Tony don't seem to notice; the two boys, so different on the surface, begin to develop a formative kinship as they discover the pleasures of being young in Brooklyn. Jake aspires to be an artist, while Tony wants to be an actor, and they have dreams of going to the same prestigious arts high school together. But the children can't avoid the problems of their parents forever, and soon enough, the adult conflict intrudes upon the borders of their friendship.

Directed by Ira Sachs (LOVE IS STRANGE, KEEP THE LIGHTS ON, FORTY SHADES OF BLUE) with his trademark humanism and insight, LITTLE MEN highlights the New York City landscape with a story of life-defining friendships in the midst of familial turmoil.

“LUMINOUS. BIG-HEARTED FILMMAKING. If Martin Scorsese was the quintessential auteur of New York in the 1970s and ’80s, and Spike Lee that of New York in the late ’80s and ’90s, then Ira Sachs is gradually becoming the quintessential auteur of today’s New York” – Bilge Ebiri, New York Magazine

“A gem. Tenderly observed. Brimming with truths about modern life.” – Peter Debruge, Variety

“FIVE STARS. Achingly humane. Deeply Moving. The cumulative effect is heart-rending.” – Nigel Smith, The Guardian

“Beautiful. Ranks among Ira Sachs’ best films. The performances are impeccable.” – David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter

“I fell in love with it. A finely calibrated, intelligent movie.” – Richard Lawson, Vanity Fair

“Adolescent devotion is rarely depicted this delicately.” Matthew Jacobs , Huffington Post