# Little Voice (1998)

### reviewed by
Kleszczewski, Nicholas

    Little Voice

Jane Horrocks, relatively unknown in the United States, has an incredible talent. She can mimic any number of famous vocalists-- Judy Holiday, Ethel Murman, Marilyn Monroe--and she sounds exactly like them. This one ups the talents of former HBO regular Rich Little; when she sings, we have to pinch ourselves in recognizing that she doesn't just mimic those famous voices, but sings with an extraordinary range, remarkably on pitch.

It is a talent that prompted her friend to write a stage show, and now a screenplay, just to show off her talents. The story is how an extremely timid person living under her mother's floozy shadow, is discovered. It's rags to riches, a star is born, and then some.

I must emphasize, with a gloomy forboding, "... and then some." Start trembling.

What's heartbreaking about a film like this is what the filmmakers, over the guise of what can only be assumed as artistic "originality", did. There are about ten minutes in this film where Horrocks takes the stage with a confidence that matches the best performers. To fully feel the impact of this is to suffer, mildly, through the story, her overly shy demeanor, her overly abrasive mother, the grating accents, and the oddballs of a supporting cast that are given little to do except flaunt their eccentricies, as if that would compensate for charm. Only one scene beforehand generated big laughs, but it's very clear that particular scene was tagged on at the last minute, if anything as a showcase for Brenda Blethyn.

But when that climactic scene arrives, its impact is so strong that it qualifies as a genuine movie _moment_. Had the film ended at that moment, I would have liked it, and would have heartily recommended it. It is that scene where Horrocks finally breaks through, and, with full band, a full awe-struck screen-audience, delivers the goods. It+s magical.

Do yourself a favor. If you see this film, once you come up to this point, LEAVE. Afterwards, a series of events occur of such a moronic nature that it overshadows every bit of pleasure I had attained from that one phenomenal, pivotal climactic scene.

I will not give away the truly awful ending, but I can+t help but comment on the filmmakers+ apparently schitzophrenic intentions. In one minute, the filmmakers dictate: "isn't Jane Horrocks a wondrous talent!" The next minute, the filmmakers slap our faces, as if we should be guilt-ridden in enjoying her gift, as if we were the ones exploiting her. But then the credits come, finally, and then back to the accolades; "Jane Horrocks used her own voice!" Why bother trumpetting the miracle, if we can+t fully enjoy it on its own merits?

Granted, this is different from a typical, feel-good "Star is Born" vehicle. It attempts to be original. Believe me, I enjoyed it far better the first time I saw it... the Warner Brothers+ cartoon starring Michigan J. Frog.

    Nick Scale (1 to 10): 5

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