Director: Tina Gordon Chism
Starring: Regina Hall, Issa Rae, Marsai Martin, Justin Hartley, Tone Bell, Luke James
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Runtime: 111 mins. Reviewed in Apr 2019

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Rating notes: Mild themes, sexual references, coarse language

The title does not give all that much away. However, it has quite some meaning when we watch the film.

There have been many films with the vice versa theme, one character inhabiting another, a character moving from one age to another… Audiences over the years have found this a very enjoyable plotline.

For an audience who is not in a demanding mood, Little is quite entertaining. This time it is a 38-year-old businesswoman, Jordan (Regina Hall), reverting to age 13 – and looking like age 13, and sounding like the 38-year-old inside!

The film was written and directed by Tina Gordon Chism (who also wrote What Women Want, not a favourite film for 2019). On the whole, this is rather cheery entertainment – although not for Jordan, competence personified, workplace bully, who has to undergo some conversion experiences. While the film is set in an American business world, most of the characters are African-American.

Poor little Jordan is something of a precocious student, bespectacled, big growth of frizzy hair, making presentations at school – and sabotaged by a jealous student, bullied, full of resentment but, instead of being resilient, she becomes ultra-resilient, determining that she will never be bullied anymore throughout her life. And, when we make the transition to Jordan at 38, she is not the kind of person you would really want to meet.

Jordan is rich. Jordan is the head of a company. Jordan sails through life thinking that her judgements are supreme. As soon as she nears her building, staff all scatter to be out of her way. The main target is her assistant, April (and engagingly sassy and sometimes self-deprecating performance from Issa Rae).

Jordan is shocked when one of her millionaire customers is threatening to pull out of his contract. And, at this crucial moment, a little girl whom she has pushed aside waves a wand casting a spell over Jordan – and that’s when the transformation happens, the vice versa, and experiences of shock horror. Because she looks like a little girl, everybody treats her like a little girl.

Marsai Martin gives an extraordinarily believable performance as the 13-year-old Jordan and really steals the show, looking 13, speaking, acting and asserting herself as 38.

Of course, there are all kinds of ups and downs, especially when authorities make Jordan go to school, her old school, were she flirts with the teacher, bosses the kids, is shunned in the canteen at meals, is relegated to the three students who are the most awkward in the school.

And, of course, there is a moral in this kind of story telling, to be oneself, one’s better self, to be one’s better generous self. And, this happens, as well as giving April the opportunity to act as a mother figure and assert herself at the business meetings. There is an exuberant talent show climax where the awkward kids are joined by Jordan, great success.

In fact, the film becomes a touch preachy towards the end, but, of course, this sermon-like storytelling is worthwhile.

Peter Malone MSC is an Associate of the Australian Catholic Office for Film and Broadcasting.