Little Boy (film)

Little Boy

Company type	Film
Industry	Motion picture
Founded	2015 (2015)
Founder	Alejandro Gómez Monteverde, Pepe Portillo
Key people	Eduardo Verástegui, Leo Severino (producers)
Products	Feature film
Parent	Metanoia Films, Santa Fé Films

Little Boy is a 2015 war drama set during World War II, directed by Alejandro Gómez Monteverde, who also collaborated with Pepe Portillo on the screenplay. The production was overseen by Eduardo Verástegui and Leo Severino. The cast includes Jakob Salvati, Emily Watson, David Henrie, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Michael Rapaport, Ben Chaplin, and Tom Wilkinson. The film's title alludes both to the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima and to the main character Pepper’s small stature. This project was a joint effort between Metanoia Films and Santa Fé Films, premiering on April 24, 2015, through Open Road Films. It later became available on DVD and Blu-ray via Universal Pictures Home Entertainment on August 18, 2015.

Although produced with a $20 million budget, the movie earned $17.7 million at the box office and was met with predominantly unfavorable critiques. An Indian remake named Tubelight, featuring Salman Khan, also debuted in 2017 but received similarly poor reviews.

Plot

Set in the coastal town of O'Hare, California, the story follows 8-year-old Pepper Flynt Busbee, who is notably shorter than his peers and shares a strong connection with his father James. When Pepper inquires if he has dwarfism from a doctor, he is labeled a "little boy," a term that eventually becomes a source of frustration for him.

As World War II unfolds, Pepper’s elder brother is exempt from military duty due to flat feet, leading their father to enlist instead—a decision that deeply affects Pepper. Motivated by the biblical passage about faith moving mountains (Matthew 17:20), Pepper commits himself to developing enough faith to bring his father back home. However, Father Oliver explains that faith without love is hollow and encourages Pepper to build a friendship with Hashimoto, a Japanese man in town.

Initially reluctant because of widespread anti-Japanese sentiment, Pepper grows to appreciate Hashimoto’s companionship and gains confidence in confronting bullies who mock his height. Father Oliver provides Pepper with a list of charitable deeds to perform as expressions of mercy. When James is declared missing in action, Pepper’s mother struggles to maintain family stability. Following an assault on Hashimoto carried out by local townspeople including Pepper’s brother London, Hashimoto is hospitalized but chooses not to press charges, resulting in London’s release.

An Army officer later delivers the news that James died during the Philippines Campaign (1944–1945). At the memorial service, Hashimoto attends and shares with Pepper their common experiences of loss and contemplation on faith. At the cemetery, Pepper places Father Oliver’s list on his father’s grave. Subsequently, Dr. Fox visits Pepper’s mother under the guise of discussing Pepper’s condition.

The following day brings surprising news from an Army representative: James is alive. Another soldier had been mistaken for him after stealing his boots along with his dog tags. The family visits James at the hospital where he suffers from mild amnesia. Pepper calls him "partner," gifts him the boots James admired before going to war, and they share an emotional reunion before returning home.

Cast

• Jakob Salvati as Pepper Flynt Busbee
• Emily Watson as Emma Busbee
• David Henrie as London Busbee
• Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa as Hashimoto
• Michael Rapaport as James L. Busbee
• Ben Chaplin as Ben Eagle
• Ted Levine as Sam
• Ali Landry as Ava
• Kevin James as Dr. Fox
• Tom Wilkinson as Fr. Oliver
• Toby Huss as Colonel Bob
• Abraham Benrubi as Teacup
• Kelly Greyson as Tyra
• Sam Kindseth as Ronnie
• Eduardo Verástegui as Fr. Crispin
• James DuMont as Harvey
• Candice Azzara as Bertha
• Lukas Behnken as Leonard Rice
• Mary Stein as Martha
• Eijiro Ozaki as Masao Kume
• Winston James Francis as Bukha
• Masami Kosaka as Commander Tokyo Joe
• Theodora Greece as Eliza

Production

On August 4, 2011, Metanoia Films revealed plans to produce the movie, announcing the casting of Ben Chaplin and Emily Watson. Soon after, Kevin James, David Henrie, and Jakob Salvati joined the ensemble. Distribution rights were secured by Open Road Films on June 20, 2014, with a release scheduled for February 27, 2015.

Eduardo Verástegui, who both produced and starred in the film, described the endeavor as a difficult independent production, yet compelling because of its focus on believing in what seems impossible. The search for the lead role of Pepper involved over 1,000 child auditions before seven-year-old Jakob Salvati—previously experienced only in television—was selected. During filming, Salvati often prayed to help ensure the success of his scenes.

David Henrie, shifting away from his Disney background and reconnecting with the Catholic faith, acknowledged that the producers played a significant role in his spiritual renewal. He emphasized that the film’s central message—placing faith beyond oneself—served as a foundational and personally impactful theme.

Release

The movie premiered in theaters on April 24, 2015, through distribution by Open Road Films. It was subsequently released on DVD and Blu-ray by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment on August 18, 2015.

Reception

Little Boy was met with predominantly mixed to negative critical responses. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 26% approval rating from 53 critics, with an average score of 4.43 out of 10. The critical consensus characterizes it as a "well-intentioned but manipulative" faith-based drama that some audiences may find objectionable. On Metacritic, the film earned a score of 30 out of 100 based on 24 reviews, signaling "generally unfavorable" opinions.

Alan Scherstuhl of The Village Voice described the film as "cynical, poisonous, deeply stupid." Christy Lemire at RogerEbert.com criticized its overly sentimental and mawkish narrative style. Michael Phillips from the Chicago Tribune condemned the film’s handling of the bombing of Japan, arguing that such a tragic event cannot be turned into a feel-good story.

Conversely, Tim Drake of the National Catholic Register commended Jakob Salvati’s portrayal and regarded the film as a nostalgic parable about faith incorporating mature Catholic themes, although he expressed reservations about its depiction of the atomic bombing. Kathryn Jean Lopez from the National Review praised its "subtle and luminous" message, referring to it as a "tender movie that inspires hope." Adam R. Holz of Focus on the Family’s Plugged In highlighted the film’s value as an engaging conversation starter about belief, miracles, and attitudes toward perceived adversaries.

External links

• Official website