Six Crazy Clues You Didn't Pick Up When Watching The Little Things
The Little Things, Starring Denzel Washington, Rami Malek, and Jared Leto, is a crime thriller set in 1990s Los Angelos. It follows a young Allstar detective, Jim Baxter(Malek), and veteran cop, Joe"Deke" Deacon(Washington), as they investigate the murder of a young girl whose tragic death seems to be akin to a series of murders from Dekes past. Written and directed by John Lee Hancock,
The Little Things, much like its predecessors (movies like Seven and Zodiac), is dark and gritty. As the story unfolds, our protagonists begin to suspect Albert Sparma, played by Jared Leto as the serial killer. Sparmas' proximity to the crimes, off-putting demeanor and obsession with serial killers further implicate him in the detectives' minds. However, due to a lack of concrete evidence, the duo cannot charge him, leaving us to wonder if Sparma is the real culprit.
Here are some clues that can prove Sparma's guilt or innocence when watching The Little Things:
1. The Spool Of Wire
We see the first victim, a young woman who was bound and murdered in her apartment. When the police arrive at the scene, we see that the victim's hands were tied behind her back with brown wire. We can spot this same wire later on in the appliance repair shop where Albert Sparma works.
2. The Pack Of Busch Beer
Also, in the apartment, we watch as the camera deliberately pans over to an empty can of Busch beer. It is concluded that the killer brought the beer to the apartment after the murder by the culprit. This same beer is later found in Sparma's refrigerator while Deke is searching his home.
3. Sodium Benzoate Particles
It is explained later in the film that sodium benzoate, a chemical found on bite marks on the victim's body, is a chemical that can be found in mouthwash and toothpaste. Unfortunately, the dental records for the bite marks were determined inconclusive. Later, we see that Sparma owns a set of false teeth, which could explain the sodium benzoate and why the dental records came back inconclusive.
4. Different Cars Are Shown
One of the clues that work in Sparma's defense is that of the vehicle seen the night Ronda Rathbun went missing. In the scene when Ronda is jogging home, we watch as a dark brown car follows her down a pitch-black street. The next day we see her face on a missing person poster and, in the following scene, her parents are waiting in the police department because they believe their daughter has become a victim. Later in the film, we see Sparma driving a vibrant green car. We never see Sparma driving the brown car, which is not shown again.
5. The Police Scanner
The next clue that points to Sparma's innocence is the police scanner seen in his apartment. One of the scenes that convinces Deke that Sparma is the culprit is when he follows Sparma and watches as Sparma drives to the quarry where one of the victim's bodies is discovered. However, That information was never released to the public, making Sparma seem all the more suspicious. But, he easily could have found out the body's location by listening to police reports on the scanner, which we led to believes he often listens to.
6. The Opening Scene
One of the most important clues that point to Sparma being innocent is the opening scene. In that scene, we watch as a young girl is chased by a mysterious man driving an equally mysterious car. While this is most likely the killer, chances are it is not Sparma. Firstly, the vehicle is shown in that scene never appears in the movie again. Next, the mysterious man and Sparma look entirely different from what we could see. In contrast, the man had short hair and a clean-shaven face. Sparma, on the other hand, had long greasy hair and an unkempt beard.
As a film, the little things adequately achieve their goal of presenting the audience with a plethora of clues and forcing the most attentive watcher to come to their own verdict on the identity of the murderer. Is Sparma A murderer or a nutcase? Is Joe deacon as blameless as he seems? Regardless of your opinion, the fact remains that The Little Things is a fascinating film that's worth the watch and detective work.
Opinions and Perspectives
Pretty sure I need to watch it again after reading about all these details.
Im starting to think none of these clues were accidents. Everything seems too carefully placed.
Maybe we're supposed to realize that sometimes there aren't clear answers in cases like this.
Still cant get over how they never showed that brown car again after the opening.
The sodium benzoate from the false teeth is clever if it was intentional misdirection.
That opening scene detail about the killer's appearance is a game changer.
I think Sparma enjoyed playing mind games regardless of whether he was guilty or not.
These clues remind me why this movie requires multiple viewings to fully appreciate.
The police scanner could explain his knowledge, but why would he risk going to the quarry?
Its fascinating how each viewing reveals new details about Sparmas potential guilt or innocence.
The car discrepancy is the strongest evidence of his innocence in my view.
Never understood why they focused so much on the beer can. Seems like a stretch.
I think focusing too much on these clues makes us miss the bigger picture about obsession and guilt.
The wire at his workplace could have been a plant by the real killer to frame him.
Totally agree about the opening scene being crucial. Its like they gave us the answer right at the start.
Looking at these clues together really shows how well thought out the script was.
I find it interesting that all these clues could point either way depending on how you look at them.
The fact that they never show the brown car again has to be intentional.
Did anyone else notice how Sparma's behavior changed when talking about the victims? He seemed almost proud.
I think we're meant to feel as frustrated as the detectives with all these contradicting clues.
The wire evidence combined with the sodium benzoate is too much to be coincidental in my opinion.
Maybe Sparma was just a copycat trying to take credit for someone else's crimes.
Never noticed the deliberate camera pan to the beer can before. Good catch!
The contrast between the clean-shaven killer in the opening and Sparma's appearance is really telling.
I actually think the police scanner makes him more suspicious. Who normally has those unless they're up to something?
What about the way Sparma seemed to enjoy toying with the detectives? That screams guilty to me.
The sodium benzoate could have come from anywhere. Seems like grasping at straws to me.
Just remembered there was never any physical evidence linking Sparma to the crimes.
I love how the movie forces us to be detectives ourselves with all these subtle clues.
The fact that we're still debating this shows how well-crafted the mystery is.
Not convinced about the Busch beer. That seems like a really weak connection.
The wire evidence seems pretty damning to me. Why else would they show it at his workplace?
I need to pay more attention to the opening scene on my next watch. Completely missed that detail about the killer's appearance.
The whole movie is about obsession and how it clouds judgment. These clues show both sides perfectly.
Those flashbacks with Deke really make you wonder if he was hiding something major.
Honestly, the police scanner explanation never sat right with me. It feels too convenient.
I think the movie intentionally leaves these clues contradicting each other to mess with our heads.
The brown car versus green car detail is really significant. I wish more people picked up on that.
Does anyone remember if they ever explained why Sparma had false teeth in the first place?
My theory is that Sparma knew the real killer and was covering for them somehow.
The false teeth detail is fascinating. I never connected that to the inconclusive dental records before.
I watched it three times and still notice new details. The wire showing up in multiple scenes is brilliant.
Looking back, the sodium benzoate evidence seems like a red herring to me.
Am I the only one who thinks the real killer might have been someone we never even saw on screen?
I feel like everyone is overlooking how creepy Sparma was at work. His colleagues seemed genuinely scared of him.
The whole movie reminds me of Zodiac. Same ambiguous ending that leaves you questioning everything.
What gets me is how they deliberately show the Busch beer can in both scenes. That cant be coincidental.
Interesting point about the police scanner. I forgot that detail completely.
The more I think about it, the more I believe Sparma was just a true crime enthusiast who got too involved.
Just rewatched it yesterday and noticed the wire in the repair shop. The cinematography really emphasizes these little details.
The different cars thing is what convinced me of his innocence. Why would a killer switch to such a noticeable green car?
I disagree about Sparma being innocent. The false teeth and sodium benzoate connection is too specific to ignore.
That opening scene always bothered me. If you pay attention, the guy really doesn't match Sparma's description at all.
The beer can detail is interesting but seems circumstantial. Lots of people drink Busch beer.
Anyone else notice that Denzel Washington's character seemed more suspicious than Sparma at times? Those flashbacks were unsettling.
I actually think Sparma was innocent. The police scanner explanation makes perfect sense for how he knew about the quarry.
The wire detail completely went over my head during my first watch. Makes me want to rewatch it now.
I loved how this movie kept me guessing until the very end. The attention to detail with all these clues is impressive.