The Little Things: where to watch in the UK, 2021 release date – and who's in the cast with Denzel Washington?

This week sees the release of The Little Things, a new crime thriller – albeit one that takes viewers back to the early 90s – from veteran director John Lee Hancock, that comes front loaded with Oscar-worthy talent in its cast.

Hancock originally penned the script in 1993, the year after The Silence Of The Lambs raised multiple glasses of Chianti at the Oscars and sparked a slew of well-intentioned imitators.

So just who stars in the new movie that’s being described as feeling “deeply familiar to genre fans”? And how can you watch it in the UK?

Here is everything you need to know about it.

What is The Little Things about?

The Little Things follows the story of Kern County Deputy Sheriff, Joe “Deke” Deacon.

It’s been five years since Deke left the LA County Sheriff’s Department following a meltdown, but now he’s reluctantly returning to his old stomping ground to collect evidence for an active case.

During his time away, he's been suspended from the force and served with divorce papers, and he underwent a triple heart bypass in the space of six hellish months.

He arrives in the middle of a press conference led by his replacement Detective Jim Baxter, who is on the trail of a suspect with a similar modus operandi to the unsolved case that tipped Deke over the edge.

“We haven’t been under this much scrutiny since the Night Stalker,” Captain Carl Farris warns Baxter.

With the FBI threatening to seize control of the case, Baxter invites Deke to join him and colleagues Jamie Estrada and Sal Rizoli as they work the latest crime scene.

Deke’s valuable insight leads the task force to disturbed electrical appliance repairman Albert Sparma, but secrets from Deke’s past jeopardise the likelihood of a secure conviction.

Who stars in it?

Oscar winner Denzel Washington is the star of the show here, portraying lead character, Joe "Deke" Deacon.

He rubs shoulders with a fellow Oscar winner in Rami Malek, who plays Deke’s replacement Detective Jim Baxter, with whom Deke partners up.

A third Oscar winner is thrown into the mix in Jared Leto, who plays strange loner Albert Sparma, prime suspect in the two detective’s case.

Chris Bauer – best known for his television work in The Wire and True Blood – plays Detective Sal Rizoli, while fellow The Wire alum Michael Hyatt is Flo Dunigan.

Terry Kinney – best known for his role as Emerald City creator Tim McManus in HBO prison drama, Oz – is Captain Carl Farris; Natalie Morales – who has appeared in Parks and Recreation and Netflix series Dead to Me – is Detective Jamie Estrada; and Glenn Morshower – best known for playing Secret Service Agent Aaron Pierce in 24 – is Captain Henry Davis.

Elsewhere on the cast are Joris Jarsky (Bad Blood), Sofia Vassilieva (Looking For Alaska), Jason James Richter (Free Willy), John Harlan Kim (Neighbours), Frederick Koehler (American Horror Story), Maya Kazan (Jane the Virgin), Lee Garlington (The Killing), and Charlie Saxton (Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia).

Is it any good?

The film has won plaudits from critics, and been nominated for multiple awards in the run up to its release; Jared Leto was Golden Globe and SAG Award nominated for his portrayal,

And in early February it was revealed composer Thomas Newman (who has provided the music to films like Skyfall, WALL-E and The Shawshank Redemption) had made the Academy’s shortlist of considerations for the Best Original Score Oscar.

In terms of critical reception, opinions on the film have been rather mixed since it released in the States at the tail end of January.

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film currently holds a 47 per cent approval rating, with the website calling The Little Things “an exceptionally well-cast throwback thriller.”

When can I watch it?

The film was released via streaming services in the UK on 11 March.

It's currently available to rent digitally through Amazon Video, the Sky Store, Chili, the Microsoft Store, and Talk Talk TV for £15.99.