Evengyny Thanks for the memories!

Stevecorp Don't listen to the negative reviews

Arianna Moses Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

Zlatica One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

HotToastyRag Have you ever been to karaoke and there's that one person who isn't drunk but still thinks she has the most fantastic voice in town—except she's pretty lousy but no one else seems to notice? If you belong to the rabble who have been sufficiently brainwashed into thinking that lady actually has a good voice, go ahead and rent Little Voice. I'm sure you'll love it, and think that Jane Horrocks is incredibly talented.For the rest of you, you'll probably do what I did when trying to get through this movie. It's a story about a young, very strange woman who listens to records of old singers incessantly to cope with her father's death and her mother's meanness. Then, she decides to sing along, and she sounds exactly like the original singers! So, when Michael Caine, a talent scout who's recently started dating her mother, Brenda Blethyn, hears Jane singing, he decides to start promoting her in nightclubs. The only problem is, Jane is that woman at the karaoke bar who thinks she's much better than she is! She doesn't sound like Judy Garland or Marilyn Monroe—but the audience is supposed to think she does. Not only is the entire point of the film completely lost to any audience member with ears, but Jane's character is obnoxious and impossible to root for. I couldn't stand it—I turned this film off.

magnuslhad A chronically shy young women lives like a recluse, avoiding her deranged, abusive mother and escaping into song with her deceased father's record collection. A local agent discovers her talent and tries to set her, and himself, on the road to the big time. The script reduces character and motivations to their essence, giving the narrative a fairytale simplicity. A wicked, self-centered matriarch lives with a Cinderella daughter, till the local 'king' discovers her and attempts to usurp her for his own nefarious ends. Meanwhile, a prince on a white horse - well, with a white pigeon - waits in the wings to rescue the heroine. The performances play to the archetypes: Caine captures the Lothario gone to seed perfectly, and his on-stage solo at the climax is comically powerful. Blethyn holds nothing back in a display of hedonistic ugliness. While admiring the talent of the actor, the depiction becomes a little one note and grating. Jim Broadbent simply steals every scene, character acting at its finest. The film functions as a showcase for the voice talents of Jane Horrocks, but she brings much more to the role of the daughter grieving for the loss of her father and stuck with a toxic mother. It has that morality play, feel-good factor that a lot of British cinema dealing with working-class lives excels in: think The Full Monty, Brass!, Billy Elliot, with the streak of sentimentality slightly turned down. A good example of British cinema punching above its weight.

pontifikator The plot is that Little Voice (played by Horrocks) is practically mute in response to her brassy, overbearing mother (played with great over the top Ethel Merman joie de vivre by Brenda Blethyn). It turns out she's called Little Voice because she's shy and speaks barely audibly, but she's got a knock out singing voice that could make her a star if she overcomes her shyness. LV, as she's known, is discovered inadvertently by scumbag Ray Say (Michael Caine in a stellar performance) who tricks her into performing in public to great acclaim. Ewan McGregor and Jim Broadbent also have significant roles, but the duo of the evening are Blethyn and Caine.The metaphors (blue birds singing and flying to freedom, the homing pigeon who tastes freedom and won't come home) get a little heavy handed at times, but the actors keep the movie going. We get more and more background information on LV as the movie teases out her character, and I was surprised to find that Horrocks did all her own singing. And so did Michael Caine in one of the most moving performances of "It's Over" that I've seen and heard (ably summarized at the end by Broadbent's character, Mr. Boo).I thought the ending was predictable and trite, but I enjoyed the ride a great deal. I can't figure out why I never heard of this movie when it came out. I have to say I thought Caine's "It's Over" topped all Horrocks's performances, and he deserved his nomination for an Oscar (as did Blethyn). Overall, the movie is a comedy, but it takes a turn at the end when LV stops being Little Voice and confronts her mother.If you liked Blethyn here, you'll like her in "Secrets and Lies," another British comedy but with all the comedic twists and turns of life that are missing in "Little Voice."

Chrysanthepop 'Little Voice' is a simply made wonderful movie that revolves around LV, her mother Mari and her boyfriend Ray and Billy. LV spends most of her days in her room listening to old records of Bassey, Monroe and Garland. Her frustrated mother resents her attachment to music and spends her evenings partying and getting drunk. In the meantime, Billy, a young electrician, falls in love with LV. One day Mari brings along her new boyfriend Ray and Ray is introduced to LV. He discovers LV's singing gift and thus starts his obsession to make LV into a star. However, LV has other plans.'Little Voice' boasts of a talented ensemble cast. Jane Horrocks breathes 'LV' as if she was born to play the part. The woman sure is an amazing singer. Brenda Blethyn, as the hateful frustrated mother is indeed...hateful. She's simply brilliant. Michael Caine as the selfish Ray Say is excellent. Ewan McGregor as Billy and Jim Broadbent as Boo are wonderful.'Little Voice' also has some beautiful memorable scenes where the chemistry of the actors shine. The tender scenes between Billy and LV (as an innocent bond forms), between Ray and LV (where he tries to convince her to sing), the scene where LV sings on stage and the scenes with LV listening to her records are some of my favorites.Mark Herman's direction deserves full marks. Not a moment of this film drags on. It moves at a very fast pace and sticks to the main plot.What more can I say except: This is one of the finest comedy dramas that shouldn't be missed!