Little Manhattan

[KLAXXON]

New York is the most romantic city in the world - even if you are a ten year-old boy, and falling in love for the first time. This is what young Gabe finds out when he falls in love with is classmate, Rosemary. This romantic comedy is about life, love and the Big Apple, as seen through the eyes of a ten year-old boy.







Original, sharply written and superbly acted romcom, although it's difficult to see just who it's aimed at.



Set in Manhattan, the film stars rising child star Josh Hutcherson (RV, Zathura) as Gabe, a normal 11 year-old kid who finds his life turned upside-down when he develops his first crush, on his karate-class sparring partner, Rosemary Telesco (Charlie Ray).

As if that wasn't bad enough, his parents (Bradley Whitford from The West Wing and Cynthia Nixon from Sex And The City) are going through a painful separation, whilst still living together.



As the title suggests, Little Manhattan sets itself up as a Woody Allen-style New York romcom, only with eleven year-olds. To that extent, it works brilliantly – the script is sharply observed and frequently very funny and the film captures the exquisite agony of falling in love for the first time.

The performances are superb: Hutcherson handles voiceover duties well and perfectly illustrates the fact that Gabe has no idea what's happening to him, while Ray is adorable as Rosemary and they have several wonderful scenes together. Director Levin also makes terrific use of the Manhattan setting, with Gabe zipping around on his scooter the entire time.



Although Gabe's voiceover is both witty and perceptive, there is, unfortunately, way too much of it and it comes perilously close to spoiling the film in places. There are also a couple of scenes that don't really work (Gabe's crying scene is overdone and doesn't convince) but these are minor quibbles at best.



In short, Little Manhattan is charming, well acted and sharply written, with several laugh out loud moments. Its target audience isn't readily apparent (its biggest appeal will be to pre-teen girls, but it's not exactly a kids' film either) but it's well worth seeing, nonetheless.











Two 11-year-olds find love in New York City, as a young boy charts the progress of his crush.




Young love blossoms in modern-day Manhattan, but don’t vomit just yet: this observational teen comedy has just enough sass to win over wary adults. Much like TV’s The Wonder Years (which director Mark Levin also story-edited and produced), it’s narrated by 11 year-old Gabe (Josh Hutcherson), who recalls the summer he started to look at schoolmate Rosemary (Charlie Ray) in a new light. Romantic obstacles include her flowergirl duties and his shyness over kissing, and by using Gabe’s POV, this depicts the uncertainties, agonies and ironies of first love with accuracy, affection and wry humour. Some points are laboured, and the build-up of Gabe’s crush is overlong, but this remains an unexpectedly enjoyable little film that should have done better at the US box office.



Not quite as nauseous as its plot might suggest, Little Manhattan is sassy as well as sweet.





Josh Hutcherson ...  Gabe
Charlie Ray ...  Rosemary
Bradley Whitford ...  Adam
Cynthia Nixon ...  Leslie
Willie Garson ...  Ralph
Tonye Patano ...  Birdie
J. Kyle Manzay ...  Master Coles
Josh Pais ...  Ronny
John Dossett ...  Mickey Telesco
Talia Balsam ...  Jackie Telesco
Jonah Meyerson ...  Sam
Michael Bush ...  Max (as Michael Anthony Bush)
Brian W. Aguiar ...  Jacob
Nick Cubbler ...  Daryl Kitzens
Anthony Laflamme ...  Tim Staples



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