Name: Retro Film Review: Little Voice (1998)
Item: Little Voice
Rating: 50
Author: @drax

(source:tmdb.org)

Despite experiencing more than fair share of unpleasant surprises, audience and critics sometimes expect certain films to be great. Those very expectations can doom the film once it becomes obvious that the film is far from perfection. One of the titles to be hurt by this sort of disappointment is Little Voice, 1998 British comedy written and directed by Mark Herman.

The script, based on Jim Cartwright's acclaimed stage play The Rise and Fall of Little Voice, is dealing with Mari Hoff (played by Jane Horrocks), young woman who earned nickname "Little Voice" for hardly speaking a word. She is so traumatised with the death of her father than she spends all time in the attic listening to ancient records of Judy Garland, Shirley Bassey and other pop divas of the ancient past. Her vulgar and promiscuous mother Laura (played by Brenda Blethyn) has much active approach to life and one night she brings home her latest boyfriend - sleazy talents agent Ray Say (played by Michael Caine). During the power cut Ray suddenly hears Mari sing and realises that she has the ability to mimic voices of her musical idols. Seeing Mari as a ticket to his own fame and fortune, Ray talks her into performing in local pub.

It is very likely that some of people involved in Little Voice expected "Oscar" or at least a nomination. All the right ingredients were there - British working class milieu, prestigious literary source and, last but not least, cast that features such giants of British acting like Blethyn, Caine and Ewan McGregor (who appears in the role of pigeon-loving telephone line repairman). Film's best asset proved to be Jane Horrocks, immensely gifted actress who displayed the very same talent as the character she played. Her musical numbers are wonderful to watch and listen. Unfortunately, writer and director Herman was less fortunate in displaying his talents - the movie that starts like a dark but generally benign comedy gradually shifts into drama torn between equally unbearable pathos and misanthropy. The subplot involving Mari and McGregor's character looks more like a Hollywood convention than integral part of the story. Thanks to Horrocks, Little Voice is a likeable film and nothing more than that.

RATING: 5/10 (++)

(Note: The text in its original form was posted in Usenet newsgroup rec.arts.films.reviews on October 14th 2004)