A coming-of-age tale set against a Los Angeles background, “Little Birds” premiered at Sundance, its well-traveled narrative sparked by visual confidence and a rising star in the form of Juno Temple, and a trailer has shown up to display the results.
The trailer gives a good sense of the tone and acting pedigree in the Elgin James-directed film, along with the plot, which follows two 15-year-olds living in the remote Salton Sea area. The two then “test the limits of their friendship when one follows the other to Los Angeles, only to discover that the boredom of home may be better than learning to survive in the big city.”
Actress Kay Panabaker portrays one of the teenage girls alongside Temple, and the rest of the cast is promising as well, with Kyle Gallner, Kate Bosworth, and Leslie Mann (in a rare dramatic role) all making appearances. The performances appear to be well nuanced and completely committed to the material, as they should be, since the fairly conventional story appears to hit all the familiar notes. Still, the film clearly shows off its rebellious spirit, and there's a chance it could extend to the overall pace, securing it a spot as a leading entry in the teen genre.
Millennium Entertainment is set to release “Little Birds” for a limited run this summer. [Collider]
