Drama Reviews and Features | Little White Lies

Genre Drama

A woman with blonde hair sits in the driver's seat of a vintage car, gazing out through the windscreen.
Review

The Fabelmans

by Hannah Strong

Steven Spiel­berg weaves a tale about his child­hood love of cin­e­ma and the rela­tion­ship between his par­ents in this light but love­ly most­ly true story.

4
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
Bearded man with serious expression in a crowded outdoor setting.
Review

The Substitute

by Saskia Lloyd Gaiger

A hum­ble school teacher is forced into a stand off against a local drug lord in Diego Ler­man’s com­pelling, though over­ly-con­trived drama.

3
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
Two people, a man and a woman, embrace by a lake with mountains in the background.
Review

More Than Ever

by Laura Venning

Vicky Krieps and Gas­pard Ulliel play a cou­ple grap­pling with a life-alter­ing ill­ness in Emi­ly Ate­f’s sen­si­tive but slight drama.

3
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
2
In Retrospect
Portrait of a woman with dark hair, wearing a black headscarf, with an intense gaze against a blurred, colourful background.
Review

Holy Spider

by David Jenkins

Ali Abbasi crafts a thriller ripped from the head­lines in this sto­ry of ​‘The Spi­der Killer’ who tar­get­ed female sex work­ers in Mash­had, Iran.

3
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
Rear view of person sitting on a chair, wearing a grey shirt and with their head visible at the top of the image.
Review

Tár

by Ege Apaydın

Cate Blanchett is on top form as a con­duc­tor who expe­ri­ences a swift fall from grace in Todd Fields’ pierc­ing psychodrama.

4
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
5
In Retrospect
A woman with dark hair and red jacket smiling in a dimly lit room.
Review

Empire of Light

by David Jenkins

Sam Mendes recruits Olivia Col­man and Michael Ward for this mawk­ish tale of seafront woes and the heal­ing pow­er of movies.

2
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
Elderly man holding a fluffy grey cat, both looking serious.
Review

A Man Called Otto

by David Jenkins

This corny Eng­lish-lan­guage remake of 2015 Swedish hit, A Man Called Ové, sees Tom Han­ks seri­ous­ly low­er­ing his standards.

2
Anticipation
2
Enjoyment
2
In Retrospect
A group of men sitting and standing outside a shop with a "Sold" sign, wearing casual clothing in shades of blue and white.
Review

Till

by Rógan Graham

Chi­nonye Chuk­wu directs a mag­nif­i­cent Danielle Dead­wyler and Jalyn Hall as they play Emmett Till and his griev­ing moth­er, Mamie.

3
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
Young person in floral top amidst green leaves and pomegranates.
Review

Alcarràs

by Caitlin Quinlan

A fam­i­ly toil on a peach farm threat­ened with destruc­tion in Car­la Simón’s ele­gant drama.

4
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
Two individuals sitting close together, a woman with dark hair and a man with a beard, both looking towards the camera.
Review

Peter Von Kant

by Juan Barquin

François Ozon fan­boys over Fass­binder (again!) with this reimag­in­ing of 1972’s The Bit­ter Tears of Petra Von Kant.

4
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
2
In Retrospect