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Life is filled with all kinds of moments. Some of them pass by without fanfare or consequence, while others set off a chain of events that leads to major changes. But they all become a part of who we are. And the coming of age drama All These Small Moments explores just a few of those moments for a teenage boy.
All These Small Moments follows timid teen Howie (Brendan Meyer) through a turbulent time in his life. Each morning, he carefully selects his wardrobe, knowing that he’ll see the same woman on the bus to school. At school, he connects with a classmate who’s struggling to overcome the years of rumors that have been spread about her. Meanwhile, at home, Howie and his brother, Simon (Sam McCarthy), wait to see what will happen to their family as their parents (Molly Ringwald and Brian d’Arcy James) go through a difficult time in their marriage.
This slice of life tale follows Howie through a variety of average, day-to-day activities. He rides the bus. He chats with a girl in the library. He has dinner with his mom and brother (and, on occasion, his dad). There are moments that move the story along and moments that don’t—and, in the end, none of them are especially mind-blowing. So if you prefer your movies to be noisy and action-packed, this one certainly doesn’t fit. But it has an honest charm to it. This is just how life is—and the film’s subtle, simple message ties it all up in the end.
Along the way, the characters keep the film interesting. Howie himself is generally an awkward teen with a bunch of stuff happening around him, but he’s also surrounded by characters that you’ll enjoy getting to know. Even the minor characters have their own personalities and stories—from Howie’s more outspoken brother, Simon, to Harley Quinn Smith’s Lindsay. And Molly Ringwald seems perfectly cast as mom Carla, who goes through the full range of emotions in her own sarcastic but vulnerable way as she tries to care for her sons while dealing with the rift in her marriage. And, together, all of these characters tell a story of change and coincidence and those everyday moments that make each of us who we are.
All These Small Moments isn’t a big, bold movie about a life-changing event. It’s about the moments in between. And that makes it a quietly charming coming of age drama.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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