“Little Fish” Movie Review by Josh Davis : Pop Culture Leftovers

“Little Fish” Movie Review by Josh Davis

February 7, 2021 5:05 pm |

“Little Fish” comes out at an interesting time. The film, about a young couple’s struggle to survive a devastating pandemic, was conceived and shot well before COVID-19 shuttered communities across the globe.

Olivia Cooke (“Ready Player One,” “Thoroughbreds”) and Jack O’Connell (“Godless”) star as Emma and Jude, a couple who met, started dating and then get married just as a pandemic called NIA, or “neuroinflammatory affliction,” sweeps the planet.

Unlike COVID-19, NIA attacks people’s memories. For some, the onset is slow and mild. For others, it’s quick and debilitating.

As an example of a more severe case, Emma and Jude are stranded on a bus when the driver forgets himself and walks out into the street in frightened confusion. Before long, the U.S. borders are sealed, flights are grounded, and police roam the streets to keep order.

Jude is a photographer with a history of drug and alcohol abuse, while Emma is a vet tech and part of her job is putting down animals who have stayed too long at the shelter where she works. Early in the movie, there is a brief scene of her euthanizing an animal that may be triggering to some.

Outside of work, the couple watches helplessly as their close friend Ben (Raúl Castillo from “Knives Out”) contracts NIA. He’s a musician, and he and his girlfriend (played by Soko, one of the AI voices from “Her”) try and record their songs before he loses his memory completely. It doesn’t go well, and Ben has notes from one of their songs tattooed on his arm to help him remember.

Jude also becomes an unlucky sufferer of NIA, although his symptoms are initially light. As his condition worsens, he hangs up photos to help him remember important people, places and events.

Further into his illness, Jude becomes a candidate for a clinical trial to cure NIA, but he’s rejected after doctors find illegal drugs in his system. Only, he doesn’t remember taking any drugs.

Later, in possibly another triggering scene, Emma tries to use her veterinary skills on Jude after a news report suggests that people can “operate” on themselves and others to cure the disease.

Director Chad Hartigan (“This Is Martin Bonner,” “Morris from America”) has crafted an impressive, intimate film that comes out during a strange and challenging time.

He’s aided by two childhood friends, cinematographer Sean McElwee (“Horse Girl”) and composer Keegan Dewitt (“Hearts Beat Loud”), who each elevate the material. The cinematography is stellar, drawn in muted blue, green and gray tones that illustrate the dreary northwestern setting. Dewitt’s score, meanwhile, adds subtle and atmospheric touches that amplify the dramatic tension without ever being overpowering.

Also notable is the script written by Mattson Tomlin and based on a short story by author Aja Gabel. Tomlin’s most high-profile project is the upcoming DC Comics cinematic entry “The Batman,” slated for release in 2022.

Most of all, however, the actors carry this movie. Cooke and O’Connell are mesmerizing in the lead roles, especially as Jude’s illness becomes worse.

This isn’t like “Marriage Story,” where big, bold performances enrapture the audience. Rather, it’s a small film filled with nuance and delicacy, and it feels authentic because of those choices.

Tonally, the film at times evokes “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” and there are time shifts and flashbacks that weave in and out and that only make sense to the viewer at the film’s conclusion.

Soko and Castillo also shine in supporting roles, and Castillo in particular breaks your heart every time he’s on screen.

My only complaint is that Cooke’s voiceover narration at times becomes distracting, and the best parts of “Little Fish” are the ones that let the story unfold with lighter touches.

It’s not always an easy watch, and it’s a something of a wonder that Hartigan filmed in 2019 such an accurate depiction of what actually happened in 2020. Ultimately, though, “Little Fish” a strong bit of filmmaking with stellar acting that should certainly appeal to fans of independent film.

PCL Rating: High Taste It

Rotten Tomatoes Rating: FRESH