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6.7/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.7/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Little Friend remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you have a high tolerance for watching characters make terrible, selfish decisions, you’ll probably find Little Friend pretty gripping. It isn't for people who want a breezy weekend watch, though. If you hate movies where the kid is the smartest person in the room—and not in a fun, Home Alone way—you might want to skip this.
Nova Pilbeam is the real deal here. She plays Felicity with this kind of heavy, observant stare that makes you feel like she’s keeping track of every single lie her parents tell. There’s a scene where she’s just sitting there, listening to them bicker, and the way she shifts in her chair is so small but so *real*. It’s the kind of acting that makes you forget you're watching a movie from decades ago.
The whole divorce thing is messy, obviously. But the movie doesn't lean into the courtroom theatrics as much as you'd expect. It’s more interested in the stuff that happens in the hallways. The way a door slams, or the way a mother stops talking mid-sentence the second her daughter walks into the room. It’s all very claustrophobic.
It’s not a perfect film. Sometimes the script feels like it’s trying a bit too hard to be sophisticated, especially when the lawyers start talking. But then you get a look from Pilbeam, and the dialogue doesn't matter anymore. You just feel that heavy, sinking feeling in your chest.
Most of the supporting cast is just fine. They’re basically furniture for the parents to lean on while they ruin their lives. But honestly? That’s probably how a kid would see them anyway. Just background noise. Little Friend isn't trying to change the world, but it does a good job of showing you a very specific, very sad corner of it. 📽️
IMDb 6
1915
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