Little Man

Little Man has quietly become one of the more dependable comedies currently available in Australia on Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel and Hoopla, and in the US on Hulu and Starz Apple TV Channel. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. A 6/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Marlon Wayans's performance alone is worth the time investment. Available now on Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, Little Man is worth clearing space for. Little Man gets the fundamentals right first, then finds room to get weird with it. After leaving prison, dwarf criminal Calvin Sims joins his moron brother Percy in stealing an expensive huge diamond from a jewelry store for the mobster Walken. They are chased by the police, and Calvin hides the stone in the purse of executive Vanessa Edwards, whose husband Darryl Edwards wants to have a baby. Percy convinces Calvin to dress like a baby and be left in front of the Edwards' house to get inside the house and retrieve the diamond. Between them, Marlon Wayans and Shawn Wayans carry the comedy without ever forcing it. Little Man came out in 2006. The timing in Little Man is precise enough that even the throwaway lines land on a second watch. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

If you need a comedy that actually makes you laugh, Little Man is a strong candidate. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. The complete film is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Marlon Wayans anchors an ensemble with real chemistry. Genuinely funny, consistently, across the whole run.