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.