Little Man Tate (1991)

Director:

Jodie Foster

Writer (WGA):

Scott Frank (written by)

Release Date:

11 October 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

It's not what he knows. It's what he understands.

Plot:

Dede is a sole parent trying to bring up her son Fred. When it is discovered that Fred is a genius,...

Plot Keywords:

Reflection | Child Genius | Coming Of Age | Talented Child | Directed By Star

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Jodie Foster	...	Dede Tate
Dianne Wiest	...	Jane Grierson
Adam Hann-Byrd	...	Fred Tate
Harry Connick Jr.	...	Eddie
David Hyde Pierce	...	Garth (as David Pierce)
Debi Mazar	...	Gina
P.J. Ochlan	...	Damon Wells
Alex Lee	...	Fred Tate at 2
Michael Shulman	...	Matt Montini
Nathan Lee	...	Matt's Teammate
Celia Weston	...	Miss Nimvel
Danitra Vance	...	Clinic Doctor
Richard Fredette	...	Bartender
George Plimpton	...	Winston F. Buckner
Jennifer Trier	...	Grierson Institute Teacher

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:PG (Nova Scotia) (re-rating) (1994) | Iceland:L | South Korea:All | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Chile:TE | Finland:S | Germany:o.Al. | Peru:PT | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:Btl | UK:PG | USA:PG | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

Company:

Orion Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Most school scenes were filmed at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. The Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity house served as the home/office of Jane Grierson (Dianne Wiest).

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Fred is playing the piano, a close-up of his hands show hands that look completely different (and much larger) than his own. They are obviously hands of a piano-playing double.

Quotes:

Make-Up Woman: [Fred is getting ready to go on TV] Now remember sweet face, zillions of people all over the world are gonna be watching you; and that means no farting, no picking your nose and no playing with little Mr. Peabody.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editing (2004)

Soundtrack:

Brahms' Liebesliederwalzer

If you don't love Fred, there's something wrong with you!

A great directorial debut by Jodie Foster, not overly ambitious, but wholly effective. She plays a mother who wants her genius son to have an ordinary life, once his intelligence is discovered, yet in his "normal life," he's a total misfit. The way Foster brings these fragile little egos together is intriguing. The film is also a showcase for Wiest's quirky charms, she adds much humanity to a character who on the surface is unlikable, although it is Foster who gives the more subtle performance. (I disagree with one reviewer at the time who suggested they should have switched roles, it's more interesting seeing them each cast against type.) There are brief but nice supporting turns from Celia Weston and the late Danitra Vance. But it is Adam Hann-Byrd who makes the movie a total pleasure. If The Sixth Sense were made during this time (1991), he would have been the only choice for Haley Joel Osment's role. Never precocious, never going out of his way to pull at heartstrings, he could give several grown-up actors lessons in how to give a nuanced performance. A thoroughly enjoyable film.