Cast: Brenda Blethyn, Jane Horrocks, Michael Caine, Jim Broadbent, Ewan McGregor, Annette Badland, Philip Jackson
Director: Mark Herman
Producer: Elizabeth Karlsen
Screenplay: Mark Herman based on the play "The Rise and Fall of Little Voice" by Jim Cartwright
Cinematography: Andy Collins
Music: John Altman
U.S. Distributor: Miramax Films
Little Voice is incontrovertible evidence of how superior acting can turn a solid movie into a tremendous cinematic experience. Adapted from Jim Cartwright's play, "The Rise and Fall of Little Voice," Mark Herman's film is a rich motion picture, combining music, drama, triumph, tragedy, and catharsis into a satisfying whole. With Little Voice, Herman manages the nearly-impossible task of creating a crowd pleasing motion picture without slipping into melodrama or restorting to overt audience manipulation.
Mari Hoff (Brenda Blethyn) is a late middle-aged widow with two passions: drinking and sex. She lives with her daughter, Laura (Jane Horrocks), above the disused record store that her late husband ran. Laura, whose nickname is "Little Voice," is a shy, quiet young woman. She rarely speaks and leaves her tiny attic room even less frequently. She spends her days and nights listening to her father's extensive collection of record albums and conversing with his ghost. She has become an expert at mimicking the vocal styles of Billie Holiday, Shirley Bassey, Judy Garland, Marilyn Monroe, Marlena Dietrich, and others. When she sings "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," a local nightclub owner (Jim Broadbent) who hears her from the street below her window swears that it's Garland. Mari's latest boyfriend, failed talent agent Ray Say (Michael Caine), sees $$$$ when he hears Little Voice sing. He immediately begins planning her show biz debut, even though she is petrified of performing in public. Meanwhile, Laura meets and forms a fragile relationship with an introverted telephone repairman, Bill (Ewan McGregor), who raises homing pigeons.
One strength of Little Voice is the script, which examines the intricacies of several fascinating characters and relationships. The plot isn't the only thing that's solid - the dialogue is well-written and intelligent, and the one key confrontation avoids going too far over the top or ending on a "wrong" note. The romance between Laura and Bill is underplayed, but it nevertheless turns out to be an important aspect of Laura's discovery of her freedom (this is one of Little Voice's key themes, and it is underlined by the rather obvious symbolism of pigeons taking wing).
The most flamboyant performance in Little Voice is given by Brenda Blethyn, who earned an Oscar nomination in 1997 for her work in Secrets and Lies. Here, she relishes the opportunity to create a larger-than-life character. However, while there's nothing subtle about Blethyn's work, it is not a thoughtless or cartoonish performance. Mari is the kind of woman who lives life to its fullest, and Blethyn invests this portrayal with enough humanity to keep her from coming across as a pure caricature. She is not a nice woman. She's vain, vapid, and motivated purely by self-interest, but it's hard not to feel pity for her in the film's later stages. Underneath all of her bluster, Mari is a sad, pathetic soul.
If Blethyn's Mari is all sound and fury, Jane Horrocks' Laura is the exact opposite. She's the typical shy wallflower who blossoms under the spotlight. The highlight of the movie is a sequence in which Laura performs a tribute to her father's favorite artists. The actress sings all of her own songs, and her ability to mimic great female singers is astounding. Hearing her belt out "That's Entertainment" or "Big Spender" is enough to cause chills. Horrocks, who, to date, is best known for a recurring role in the TV series "Ab Fab," should gain wide recognition for Little Voice.
Finally, there's Michael Caine, who, with this part and the one in last year's Blood and Wine, appears to be returning to peak form. There's little doubt that Caine's Ray is a villain of sorts - he's a lowlife user who preys on Laura's innocence and Mari's desperation -- but there's something sad about this character, as well. Caine plays the part with relish (especially the scene where he takes the stage and visibly self-destructs), and his work here is reminiscent of his turn in Neil Jordan's Mona Lisa. As good as he is, however, he is overshadowed by both Blethyn and Horrocks. Supporting players Jim Broadbent and Ewan McGregor, despite being effective, barely register with all of the higher wattage acting surrounding them.
After fashioning last year's entertaining and underrated Brassed Off, director Mark Herman has come back with a real winner. His presentation of Little Voice's musical performances is handled expertly, giving the movie a sequence that is both transcendent and triumphant. He also successfully avoids all of the most unfortunate dramatic clichés while keeping the tone, which could easily have turned ugly (given that the story is really about the exploitation of the innocent), relatively light. By offering opportunities to laugh, cry, and cheer, Little Voice satisfies in a big way.
© 1998 James Berardinelli