Little Secrets

 3/4

Starring: Evan Rachel Wood, Michael Angarano, David Gallagher, Vivica A. Fox

Rated PG for Thematic Elements

For whatever reason, Hollywood continuously underestimates the intelligence of kids.  How else can one explain movies as banal and insipid as "Norm of the North," "Judy Moody and the Not So Bummer Summer," or the cinematic turd that was "Teen Titans GO! To the Movies."  While they may not be ready for a David Mamet movie (I remember going to see "The Spanish Prisoner" when it came out because we all loved Steve Martin, but my brother and I were bored out of our minds), kids are pretty savvy.  If the movies told stories about characters and ideas they can relate to, they'll eat it up.  Which is why I think that "Little Secrets" is a solid choice for families.

Emily Lindstrom (Wood) is a talented violinist who has skipped summer camp to prepare for her audition to the local youth orchestra.  But she's also got a side business: for a small fee (fifty cents), you can tell her your secret.  Whether you're digging a hole to China or have broken one of your parents' prize teacups, she'll hide the evidence and give you advice on what to do next.  But as she soon finds out, keeping secrets has a price.

I hope I don't sound square in praising "Little Secrets" for being wholesome and inoffensive.  Movies don't have to be edgy or crude to entertain kids.  Hayao Miyazaki has a whole library of films to prove that.  Nor do they have to be dumb.  Emily and her friends are very smart.  They have their values, dreams and can think for themselves.  Of course, even adults are caught unprepared by conflicts they did not have the foresight to see.

It helps that there are a trio of solid performances to anchor the film.  Evan Rachel Wood has always been a good actress (she should have gotten an Oscar nomination for her performance in the searing "Thirteen," but did not).  She has an intelligence and maturity that brings to mind the early performances of Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson.  That quality serves her well here; it's easy to believe that Emily is this enterprising and ambitious.  Michael Angarano, a young actor who has never gotten the recognition he so thoroughly deserves, did not have to audition for his role as Philip, the new kid next door.  I'm not surprised, since he's so good that it might as well have been written for him.  Angarano plays him with a mixture of earnestness and insecurity that is positively endearing.  David Gallagher, who will forever be associated with the TV show "7th Heaven," is also good as the obligatory heartthrob.  But there are depths to Philip's older brother David that demand a deft performance.

"Little Secrets" takes place in an American neighborhood so idealized and sanitized that it appears to be ripped off from "Leave it to Beaver."  That didn't bother me.  On the contrary, I liked that.  It made the film feel safe and reassuring, which is perfect for a family film.  There's enough conflict with Emily's job and upcoming audition.  This aspect of the film could have easily been overdone, but the rock solid performances and direction keep the film at a likable, if fanciful, tone.

The film isn't perfect, however.  It doesn't have much of a plot, and when the conflict deepens, it does so in an unconvincing manner.  Also, while the three young leads are good, the adult actors are not.  Rarely do they convince.  The exception is Vivica A. Fox, who has some nice scenes as Emily's violin instructor.

Ultimately, "Little Secrets" works because it doesn't trivialize the material or insult the intelligence.  Emily and her friends are smart, likable and take their situations seriously.  That's why it works.

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