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Little Man

Play trailer Poster for Little Man 2005 1h 52m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
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60% Tomatometer 15 Reviews 80% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
When documentarian Nicole Conn and her partner, Gwendolyn Baba, decide to adopt a child in 2002, their surrogate mother turns out to have serious undisclosed medical issues. Refusing to terminate their child, the two choose to have Nicholas born 100 days early, leaving the under-one-pound infant with a very small chance of survival. Nicole and Gwendolyn battle to keep Nicholas alive, while the stress of the medical emergencies tests their relationship.

Critics Reviews

View All (15) Critics Reviews
Nathan Rabin AV Club While Conn's story is inherently compelling, it's pretty much ruined in the telling thanks to her unnerving choice to fill it with a twinkling piano-heavy score, florid narration, and trembling slow-motion. Feb 16, 2006 Full Review V.A. Musetto New York Post Your baby is near death. Instead of dropping everything to save his life, you make sure the video camera keeps rolling. Rated: 1.5/4 Dec 2, 2005 Full Review Jami Bernard New York Daily News With her penchant for frilly romance and sentimentality, the focus is often, cloyingly, on Conn as the heroine of the story, the mother who (sob!) wouldn't give up. Rated: 2/4 Dec 2, 2005 Full Review Saul Austerlitz Boxoffice Magazine The film leaves viewers with the odd sensation of having peered into the most intimate details of other people's lives, without acquiring much beyond surface impressions. Rated: 2/5 Dec 6, 2005 Full Review Rachel Gordon Filmcritic.com able to powerfully bring to mind some touching issues and blur the line of hard decision making Rated: 3.5/5 Dec 6, 2005 Full Review Ken Fox TV Guide Like her own admitted inability to see Nicholas' situation through anything other than a 'mother's eyes,' Conn is also unable to view her film objectively, even as it grows overlong and ungainly. Rated: 2.5/4 Dec 2, 2005 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (10) audience reviews
Audience Member beautifully sad and touching documentary of a child born 100 days early Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/11/23 Full Review Audience Member Very touching and emotional Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/21/23 Full Review Audience Member Once more BRAVO to Ms. Conn for a stunning, emotional roller-coaster ride into her personal life, trying to save the life of her baby. This is a very personal journey into the life of a couple who decides to have a second child but the baby (carried by a surrogate mother) is born 100 days before he is fully developed and Nicole Conn (film writer, producer and director) joins forces with the staff at the Neo-natal ICU of the hospital, day and night, for three long months never losing hope that her child will survive against all odds. This lady epitomizes the meaning of a devoted mother! This documentary moved me to tears because it evokes so compellingly the fragility of life, the never-ending struggle for survival, the meaning of prayer and hope. As I watched, so many thoughts come to your mind especially the daunting financial stressors of having a child in the ICU for so many months and we know that medical bills are one of the main reasons that so many people file for bankruptcy. Fortunately medical insurance helps and I learned that in the state of California any child born so premature is covered for bills by the state (surprising). During all these months of vigil, of constant care, Nicole Connâ(TM)s personal life takes a toll and her partner (Gwen Baba) starts to feel left out, taking care of the home and their daughter Gabrielle who is a delightful and beautiful child. This is one of the most heart-wrenching documentaries I have seen that raises difficult questions about certain choices we are forced to make and their impact on our loved ones, our lives, our families.. The lens of a camera can reveal so much and I am in awe that Ms. Conn decided to place her personal struggles in the open, for us to see and unfortunately for some to judge. I read some comments from film critics that were completely out of line and in my personal opinion I think she did it to show us that hope is eternal. That sometimes a cause is worth the fight, that if someone is still alive, then God or fate has a plan for them. In this instance, it was Nicholas, her son born three months early. You will cheer, you will cry, and I have gained a deeper admiration for Nicole Conn after watching this unforgettable documentary. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/13/23 Full Review Audience Member This documentary had my attention from the first minute I tuned in until the very end. It opens up questions about life and death that I hope I never have to encounter in my lifetime. Highly recommend. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/15/23 Full Review Audience Member I couldn’t go through what they did, it was so sad and powerful at the same time, neonatal science is an amazing thing Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/20/23 Full Review Audience Member Wow! It really shows people at their best!!! And what a brave thing to document so people can see the realities of the wonders and the tragedies of modern medicine. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/20/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Little Man

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Movie Info

Synopsis When documentarian Nicole Conn and her partner, Gwendolyn Baba, decide to adopt a child in 2002, their surrogate mother turns out to have serious undisclosed medical issues. Refusing to terminate their child, the two choose to have Nicholas born 100 days early, leaving the under-one-pound infant with a very small chance of survival. Nicole and Gwendolyn battle to keep Nicholas alive, while the stress of the medical emergencies tests their relationship.
Director
Nicole Conn
Producer
Danny Jacobsen, Nicole Conn
Production Co
Little Man Productions
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 10, 2017
Runtime
1h 52m