The Little Things

The Little Things is currently streaming in Australia on Netflix, and its case-by-case structure never gets in the way of the bigger story. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. 2,860 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. Denzel Washington anchors it, but the writing does the real work. Start it on Netflix whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

The Little Things arrived without much fanfare and built its audience the hard way — through word of mouth. The plotting gives The Little Things its backbone, but it is the characters you come back for. Deputy Sheriff Joe "Deke" Deacon joins forces with Sgt. Jim Baxter to search for a serial killer who's terrorizing Los Angeles. As they track the culprit, Baxter is unaware that the investigation is dredging up echoes of Deke's past, uncovering disturbing secrets that could threaten more than his case. Credit to Denzel Washington and Rami Malek for grounding it — this is a cast that earns the twists. The Little Things came out in 2021. What distinguishes the best crime dramas from the rest is whether the character work can carry scenes where the mystery takes a breath — The Little Things passes that test consistently. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

For anyone who wants their crime drama to earn its twists, The Little Things delivers. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. The complete film is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Denzel Washington anchors it, but the writing does the real work. If you are going to commit to one crime drama this month, make it this one.