Common Sense Media Review
By Joyce Slaton
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Substance abuse, language, in sweet fable about stardom.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Little Voice
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Co-created by singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles and director Jessie Nelson (the team behind the Broadway smash Waitress) and produced under J.J. Abrams' Bad Robot production label, LITTLE VOICE stars Brittany O'Grady as Bess, a young musician who's having some trouble finding her voice and convincing others to listen. She spends her days and nights working as a dog walker, a music teacher, and a leader of sing-alongs at senior homes, and bartending at a club with live musical acts. But in every quiet moment, she pulls out her notebook to record lyrics to songs she's afraid no one else will ever hear. Meanwhile, she helps care for her musical-obsessed brother Louie (Kevin Valdez), who lives in a group home with others on the autism spectrum, and her father (Chuck Cooper), a gifted musician who struggles with alcohol, while juggling crushes on caddish Ethan (Sean Teale) and sincere Samuel (Colton Ryan).
Is It Any Good?
It has heart, lovely visuals, a compelling lead in Brittany O'Grady, and beautifully catchy songs, but this sweet drama is stuffed with too many subplots and cringey dialogue. Question: When does Bess sleep? Because it appears as if she walks dogs in the middle of the night, teaches students all day, and then tends bar every night. It's definitely believable that a young woman living in an (improbably) large NYC apartment would have to work multiple jobs to support her (not very) rock 'n' roll lifestyle, but it's hard to escape the thought that the creators are more invested in coding its heroine as a plucky striving type than in presenting a well-thought-out portrait of a realistic life.
Then, in the moments that Bess isn't working her day (and night) jobs, she's rushing around to be with her dad and brother. That's not really a negative in the latter case, as Valdez, an actor with autism, is one of highlights of the show; he's quirky, and hilarious. If Little Voice had stopped right there, that would have been enough on the plot front, and would have given us more scenes with Valdez. But Bess also has to fit in dreams of stardom and a love triangle. She must be exhausted, and we feel a bit that way, watching. Still, Grady is lovely and luminous, and the Bareilles-penned songs that pepper the soundtrack are lovely too. If A Star Is Born-type drama or Bareilles' music are to your taste, Little Voice might also be.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the alcohol use in Little Voice. How is addiction portrayed? Are there consequences to the substance abuse? Why is that important? How do Bess' struggles mirror those of her father? Is that realistic?
Why do you think the show's producers chose to include original songs so prominently in the series? How does music enhance or detract from a TV show or movie?
How do the characters on Little Voice demonstrate compassion and empathy? Why are these important character strengths?
TV Details
- Premiere date : July 10, 2020
- Cast : Shalini Bathina , Brittany O'Grady , Phillip Johnson Richardson
- Network : Apple TV
- Genre : Drama
- Character Strengths : Compassion , Empathy
- TV rating :
- Last updated : February 7, 2022
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