Such a brilliant, authentic yet heartwarming coming-of-age story. This was one of the first American films to be created completely outside the studio system, while taking cues from Italian neorealism, making it one of the more culturally significant films that isn't talked about much. It was a huge influence on the French New Wave, particularly on Truffaut's 400 Blows (one of my favorite films), and I can see its influence on the films of Richard Linklater, Sean Baker, Barry Jenkins and Greta Gerwig today. Without Little Fugitive, there might not have been a French New Wave or modern independent cinema (i.e. A24 films) at all. The picture itself is fantastic on its own: I'm not sure how a story about a bunch of poorer city kids, the youngest of which, Joey, is constantly bullied and ostracized by his peers (even being the victim of a particularly harsh "death of a friend" prank early on in the film) could be so tender and endlessly charming. Part of the story's charm and believability comes from the fantastic child performances, all coming from nonprofessionals. Much of the story is Joey spending the day alone at Coney Island, and it serves as such a great time capsule of 1950s New York and all of its quirks. The film was shot on a low budget, on location and even with some handheld, giving it a grittiness that was unseen in most American films up to that point. All this adds up to one of the most underrated films I have ever seen, and an easy one to recommend to anyone looking for a small coming-of-age charmer.
Such a brilliant, authentic yet heartwarming coming-of-age story. This was one of the first American films to be created completely outside the studio system, while taking cues from Italian neorealism, making it one of the more culturally significant films that isn't talked about much. It was a huge influence on the French New Wave, particularly on Truffaut's 400 Blows (one of my favorite films), and I can see its influence on the films of Richard Linklater, Sean Baker, Barry Jenkins and Greta Gerwig today. Without Little Fugitive, there might not have been a French New Wave or modern independent cinema (i.e. A24 films) at all. The picture itself is fantastic on its own: I'm not sure how a story about a bunch of poorer city kids, the youngest of which, Joey, is constantly bullied and ostracized by his peers (even being the victim of a particularly harsh "death of a friend" prank early on in the film) could be so tender and endlessly charming. Part of the story's charm and believability comes from the fantastic child performances, all coming from nonprofessionals. Much of the story is Joey spending the day alone at Coney Island, and it serves as such a great time capsule of 1950s New York and all of its quirks. The film was shot on a low budget, on location and even with some handheld, giving it a grittiness that was unseen in most American films up to that point. All this adds up to one of the most underrated films I have ever seen, and an easy one to recommend to anyone looking for a small coming-of-age charmer.