Little_Voice

Tiny voices do not denote tiny abilities

Shy people are not necessarily dull or uninteresting. They can have an outstanding talent, be very charming when at ease, and have dreams and ambitions like anyone else. For some their shyness can be such a handicap that they fail to realize their potential and are unable to fulfill their aspirations. Their world is often so private that others don’t know what to make of these reticent individuals. Many people are shy, but there are degrees of shyness and for some it can be very serious. I can think of people I’ve known professionally who were amazing individuals but whose shyness was so strong it was actually disabling. They had secret worlds not because of shame but because it was only when they were alone that they felt free to be themselves and let themselves go.

Little Voice or L V, as she is usually called, is such a person. When she’s around people she hardly speaks. She spends her days in her room playing old records, lip sinking to the vocals. These were once her father’s, but he died some time ago. While we never actually get to know him, we get the impression that he too was shy and that he and L V had a close relationship. The records were also a bond and continue to give L V a connection to her father.

L V’s place in the house is revealing of another issue. L V lives with her mother, Mari, a rather self absorbed person who tolerates her daughter’s recluseiveness and seems oblivious to the young woman’s extreme shyness. It may seen strange that she would not recognize that there is something about L V’s that isn’t right—she is not only extremely shy but appears almost agoraphobic----but as is the case with many families there is strong denial and lack of concern: Sort of like "she’ll out grow it" or "having her at home is like having a live in maid." No consideration is given to the fact that someday, Mari will not be around and L V will be poorly prepared to live on her own.

In her isolation Little Voice has developed a wonderful talent as a vocal imitator. When she sings, she can mimic Judy Garland, Barbra Streisand, Marilyn Monroe and other performers with such perfection that a listener would assume that he was listening to a recording of one of these stars. Mari sees nothing special about this. It is Mari’s boyfriend, Ray Say, a no account, two bit talent agent, who realizes that L V has a special gift that can tapped to make a lot of money—for him.

Little Voice is a tale of the struggle of a person who is ill prepared for dealing with some of the unpleasant realities of the world and whose isolation is both a protection and position of peril. It is also a tale of how someone who recognizes L V’s true value and sees what a wonderful gift she has, cons her and nearly dominates her in a way that is all too common for people like L V.. Instead of nurturing her and helping her find safety outside of the confines of her house, he tricks her and tries to control her, abusing her in the process.

The movie ends before we have any real sense of what will happen to L V. She can no longer go back to where she had hidden herself. She breaks away from Ray Say and has found a friend, Billie, who is almost as shy as she but has a job and is not a recluse. In some ways they seem a good match, but together can they effectively deal with the pressures and unpleasantness that all of us must deal with at times? This is a good question to ponder. To many shy people, someone equally as shy may seem an ideal, safe mate, the opposite of a Ray Say. But is someone who is almost as shy and intimidated as L V, the type of person who will nurture her need for increased independence or will the two merely lean on each other, reinforcing the other’s tendency to withdrawal from the world?

Available from Buena Vista Home Video
Rated R by M.P.A.A.