The Little Things

Deputy Sheriff Joe Deacon spends his days in the shadows of Los Angeles, a man who prefers the quiet of old files to the chaos of modern policing. When a string of brutal murders rocks the city, he finds himself pulled back into the fray by Sergeant Jim Baxter, a young detective desperate to make a name for himself. The two men form an uneasy alliance as they hunt a ghost killer who leaves no trace but blood and fear.

Released on January 28, 2021, this neo-noir thriller arrived during the height of the pandemic, bypassing traditional theaters for a simultaneous digital premiere on HBO Max and Netflix. Director John Lee Hancock crafted a story that feels like a lost gem from the 1990s, prioritizing mood over plot twists to create a deeply affecting experience about the psychological toll of obsession. [edit]

In the early 1990s, the landscape of Los Angeles crime is dominated by the elusive "Black Snake," a serial killer targeting young women with brutal efficiency. Deputy Sheriff Joe "Deke" Deacon has spent decades hunting such monsters before retreating to the quiet isolation of Kern County, haunted by unsolved cases and past failures. His solitary existence shatters when Captain Carl Farris summons him back to the city to assist with the ongoing investigation. Deke carries the weight of a career defined by what he could not catch, viewing the new case through a lens of deep cynicism and trauma.

Sergeant Jim Baxter represents everything Deke once was: brilliant, ambitious, and dangerously eager to solve the impossible. Baxter's drive stems from a personal loss; his sister was one of the earlier victims, fueling a need for closure that borders on recklessness. As the LAPD struggles without physical evidence, Baxter seeks out Deke, hoping the older detective's intuition can crack the code where technology has failed. Their partnership begins with friction, as Deke warns Baxter against getting too close to the darkness while Baxter pushes for aggressive action.

The investigation leads them to Albert Sparma, a charming barber whose unsettling behavior makes him the primary suspect. Sparma plays a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse, offering tantalizing clues that seem to point directly to his guilt while maintaining plausible deniability. He engages Baxter in conversations that blur the line between confession and fabrication, feeding the detective's growing obsession. As the Black Snake strikes again, leaving cryptic messages designed specifically for Baxter, the young detective neglects his family and risks his career to follow every tenuous lead.

Deke watches this transformation with a mixture of pity and dread, recognizing the same obsessive fire that once destroyed his own life. The tension escalates as the line between hunter and hunted blurs, forcing both men to confront the possibility that the truth they seek might be more destructive than the mystery itself. The film builds toward a climax where the characters must decide if the cost of catching a monster is worth the loss of their own souls. Throughout the narrative, the movie explores the idea that some mysteries are not meant to be solved and that the pursuit of justice can consume the pursuer entirely.

The story delves into the small details that often go unnoticed, suggesting that these "little things" hold the biggest secrets. Baxter becomes increasingly consumed by the case, ignoring the warnings of those around him. Deke remains a silent observer, knowing all too well the path Baxter is walking. The atmosphere grows suffocating as the investigation narrows down to a few key suspects and locations, creating a sense of impending doom that permeates every scene.

As the final pieces of the puzzle come together, the film questions whether the cycle of violence can ever truly be broken. Baxter's journey takes him deeper into the psyche of the killer, challenging his understanding of good and evil. The narrative structure keeps the audience guessing, revealing just enough information to maintain suspense without providing easy answers. The relationship between Deke and Baxter serves as the emotional core, highlighting the different ways men cope with the horrors they witness.[edit]