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Little Nikita

1988

Richard Benjamin

Sidney Poitier, River Phoenix, Richard Jenkins, Caroline Kava ...

5.5

1,024

Thriller. Mystery Roy Parmenter is an FBI agent in San Diego; 20 years ago his partner was killed by a Soviet spy, nicknamed Scuba, still at large. Scuba is now trying to extort the Soviets; to prove he's serious, he's killing their agents one by one, including "sleepers," agents under deep cover awaiting orders. Roy interviews a high school lad, Jeff Grant, an applicant to the Air Force Academy. In a routine background check, Roy discovers that Jeff's ... [+]

	Author	Review
United States	Dave Kehr Chicago Tribune	"Little Nikita is quite a surprise-a film that moves through several layers of irony and absurdism to arrive at a strong and solid emotional core."	POS
United States	Variety Staff Variety	"Little Nikita never really materializes as a taut espionage thriller and winds up as an unsatisfying execution of a clever premise"	NEU
United States	Kevin Thomas Los Angeles Times	"A refreshingly original thriller that is also a wrenchingly poignant family drama."	POS
United States	Hal Hinson The Washington Post	"[It] would be nothing without River Phoenix's hair. It's the most engaging, the most watchable thing in the film. It has body. It has character. It even has drama. In other words, it has everything that's missing from the rest of the picture."	NEG
United Kingdom	The Guardian	"The film never really carries out its implied deconstruction of the all-American family, but Poitier and Phoenix form an enjoyable bond"	POS
United States	Juan Carlos Coto Miami Herald	"Benjamin's creative visual style isn't enough to lift a weak story."	NEU

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