Review: Little uncovers big talent in Marsai Martin in so-so body swap comedy

Surely an M-rating would have been more fitting for Little, with its casual mentions of Tinder, thots and other semi-sexualised slang-uage for no particular reason. But its saving grace is the acting chops of its freakishly great junior lead.

If this so-so body-swap comedy was not rated PG — and therefore not being targeted so directly at kids — it would score a slightly higher mark.

Surely an M-rating would have been more fitting for Little, a production casually dropping mentions of Tinder, thots and other semi-sexualised slang-uage into the mix for no particular reason?

Long story short: take a primary schooler to Little, and you are doing them a large disservice.

The movie itself does have an engaging enough premise, and uncovers a major talent in the form of its teenage star Marsai Martin.

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Marsai Martin was just 14 at the time of shooting for Little.

Little uncovers a major talent in Marsai Martin.

She plays Jordan, the junior incarnation of a 38-year-old high-powered corporate executive (Regina Hall) who has been banished back inside the body of her 13-year-old self. Largely for being such an unpleasant human being.

Not surprisingly, high school turns out to be both a hellish and healing learning experience for our hard-headed heroine.

Martin’s on-point mimicry of a narcissistic adult off their game is freakishly great at times.

Particularly when you bear in mind she is tasked with playing a shrink-wrapped version of Regina Hall, a veritable acting powerhouse in recent times in movies like Girls Trip and The Hate U Give.

If anything, Martin amplifies Hall’s brusque, no-bulldust persona with a control, accuracy and force that is rarely detected in a performer so young (14 at the time of shooting, 13 when she pitched the project to a major studio and was attached as an Executive Producer).

Make no mistake: Marsai Martin is going to be a significant star in the years ahead.

However, once you move away from celebrating the consummate craft of Little’s unknown leading lady, the context in which it appears quickly becomes vexing.

Regina Hall stars as the grown up version of Jordan Sanders in Little.

Such as the scene in which we see the teenage Jordan making sustained suggestive overtures to a schoolteacher aged in his thirties.

Then there is the matter of the adult Jordan’s toy-boy lover, who may or may not be a hired gigolo. He certainly (un)dresses like one, that’s for sure.

In its final act, Little does retreat from its icky envelope-pushing, and settles down into the pleasant teen comedy it should have been all along.

However, at a running time of 110 minutes, Little may have already worn out its welcome by the point it finally finds its right approach.

LITTLE (PG)

Rating: Two stars (2 out of 5)

Director: Tina Gordon Chism (Peeples)

Starring: Marsai Martin, Regina Hall, Issa Rae, Justin Hartley.

Doesn’t go a long way

For all things movies, follow Leigh on Twitter @leighpaatsch