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A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Saturday 13 april 2019
‘Little’ heralds big-time arrival of Marsai Martin

By JAKE COYLE — 13 when the cameras
Associated Press rolled — she’s one-upped
Since Hailee Steinfeld them all. Along with star-
rode into town in “True ring in “Little,” Martin is also
Grit,” we’ve been fairly an executive producer,
blessed by the big-screen the youngest credited in
breakthroughs of teen- Hollywood history. She is,
age actresses. To name quite literally, a boss.
just a few: Anya Taylor- And Martin, a tiny tyrant
Joy (“The Witch”), Aman- beneath a Diana Ross-
dla Stenberg (“The Hate U sized afro, is the number
Give”), Elsie Fisher (“Eighth one reason to see “Little.”
Grade”). The movie, itself, is a mid-
Add Marsai Martin to the dling “Big”-styled body-
list. And at just 14-years-old swap comedy. But it’s el-

This image released by Universal Pictures shows Marsai Martin in a scene from “Little.”
Associated Press

evated considerably the pany with a Scrooge-level “But that’s for white peo-
verve and charisma of its degree of abuse for all who ple.” Looking for answers,
cast, which also features encounter her, including she quickly googles “Fe-
Issa Rae and Regina Hall. her many employees and, male Gary Coleman dis-
But there’s a special plea- most of all, her assistant, ease.”
sure in seeing someone April (Rae). They’re good lines in a
front-and-center for the When Jordan insults a movie that could have
first time that you know is wand-wielding young girl used more of them. Child
going to hold the spotlight. (“You chocolate Hog- services (Rachel Dratch)
Martin, the “black-ish” star, wart!”), a spell is cast, and is called in. Jordan is sent
helped conceive of “Little,” the next morning Jordan back to her old school
and the film, fittingly, is itself awakes as her 13-year-old where, as seen in a flash-
a kind of fable of self-em- self (Martin). back that opens the mov-
powerment. The premise is overly famil- ie, she initially resolved to
An enjoyably over-the-top iar (“Freaky Friday,” ‘’13 become the bully rather
Hall (playing a far crueler Going on 30”), but there’s than the bullied. Jordan
boss than her “Support an obvious twist. After a introduces herself as the
the Girls” supervisor) stars panicked Jordan summons “new alpha” and makes
as Jordan Sanders, a high- April to her high-rise apart- eyes at her teacher (Justin
powered executive who ment for help, April refutes Hartley), purring, “Teach
runs her Atlanta tech com- the movie’s very premise: me somethin’.” q

Damien Jurado’s frugal sounds rich

with love, hope

By PABLO GORONDI the late Richard Swift, Ju-
Associated Press rado’s songs have always
Damien Jurado, “In the been distinctive. Only Josh
Shape of a Storm” (Mama Gordon’s high-strung guitar
Bird Recording Co.) adds a metallic brightness
Damien Jurado’s sneak- to a few songs, but it can
ily quiet “In the Shape of a also interrupt the intimacy,
Storm” is as stark as its cov- especially on the title track
er illustration, but within, the and “Silver Ball,” where in-
frugal sounds are rich with terspersed doo-doo-doos
expressions of love, loss, make the last lines — “Time
hope, despair and humor. This cover image released does not heal/Everything
by Mama Bird Recording
Recorded in two hours in his Co. shows “In the Shape of a an end” — much less de-
new home state of Califor- Storm,” a release by Damien finitive, nearly celebratory.
nia, the Seattle native’s 10 Jurado. On “Anchors” seemingly in-
songs are immediate and Associated Press nocent prospects — “I still
direct, but their origins are ions reconnecting like time go on seeing you as mine/
often distant. Jurado is es- hadn’t passed. Just not at the present
pecially prolific and com- Even when wrapped in in- time” — are paired with a
positions thought lost or put creasingly adventurous ar- dour reality: “Untied to your
aside nestle together here rangements, especially on anchor and I’m sinking like
like once-close compan- the albums recorded with a stone.” q