FILM REVIEW: LITTLE ACCIDENTS (2014,US)

By: Laura Saxton

Directed by Sara Colangelo

Sundance Film Festival review

Little Accidents brings together a tragic story embedded with pain and emotion with beautifully delicate visuals to seamlessly create a sensitively honest and unassuming translation of American history. The film evokes a strong sense of gritty realism by depicting an intense and yet tangible story in a convincing and frank way, shedding light on the less frequently recounted tales of America

When a mining accident leaves all but one miner dead, the inhabitants of the small town of Appalachia demand a reasonable explanation for the deaths of their loved ones. The sole survivor, Amos Jenkins, attempts to separate himself from the speculation and rumours within the town but inevitably becomes a target for information. Alongside this tumultuous search for answers soon comes a more pressing problem when the mine supervisor’s son goes missing. Loss and uncertainty become a common ground for the people and unforeseen yet touching relationships develop through a shared desire to feel secure.

Little Accidents demonstrates how loss can break down boundaries and set norms within a society, allowing relationships to form, regardless of conflicting backgrounds. Colangelo’s characters form such an intense and genuine connection with the audience that it provokes self-reflection on the moral questions posed through the narrative, the audience imagining themselves in the given situations. Little Accidents, although humble and understated, speaks profoundly to its audience, it asks questions and displays a beautiful insight into a different side of American culture and, as a whole, human nature and morality.

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