Little Joe
Little Joe

Little Joe

2019Movie106 minEnglish

Alice, a single mother who is more dedicated to her work as a genetic engineer than to her teenage son Joe, develops a new variety of flower that is supposed to have the ability to make its owner happy thanks to its special chemical properties.

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Insights

IMDb6.2/10
Rotten Tomatoes77%
Metacritic66/100
Google Users60%
Director: Jessica HausnerGenres: Sci-Fi, Drama, Comedy, Horror

Plot Summary

Alice Woodard, a dedicated plant breeder, creates a unique red flower named Little Joe, which is not only beautiful but also possesses a unique property: it makes its owner happy. As the flower blooms, Alice's life becomes increasingly chaotic, and she begins to suspect that Little Joe might not be as benevolent as it seems. Her suspicions are confirmed when she realizes the plant may be manipulating its owners.

Critical Reception

Little Joe received generally positive reviews from critics, with many praising its unique premise, unsettling atmosphere, and Emily Beecham's performance. Some critics found the film's pacing uneven, while others appreciated its ambiguous nature and allegorical commentary on modern life and corporate culture.

What Reviewers Say

  • Praised for its original concept and unsettling tone.
  • Emily Beecham's performance is a standout.
  • The film's ambiguous ending and allegorical depth were noted.

Google audience: Google users generally found the film to be an interesting and thought-provoking sci-fi drama, with many appreciating its unique premise and the underlying themes. However, some users felt the plot was slow-paced at times and the ending was too ambiguous.

Awards & Accolades

Emily Beecham won the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival.

Fun Fact

The film's unsettling and uncanny atmosphere was deliberately crafted to reflect the emotional state of its characters and the artificiality of the 'happiness' induced by the plant.

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My Review

TMDB Reviews

2 reviews
CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

A fascinating concept - a firm determined to succeed at a flower fair work to create the ideal blossom. When two of their team - Emily Beecham and an almost robotic Ben Whishaw develop a flower that exudes a pollen that creates happiness; t...
Stephen Campbell

Stephen Campbell

**_A fascinating premise and setup, but the execution is tedious_** >_The Capgras Delusion has been known since the turn of the century but has been treated as a curiosity, an anomaly. The standard explanation, which you find in most psy...