(1989) Little Sweetheart
PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER
Adapted from the book, "The Naughty Girls" by Arthur Wise, written and directed by Anthony Simmons that has nine-year old turning ten, Thelma (Cassie Barasch) who lives near a beach with her mother and inspired photog older brother. There's a cafe nearby, but she rarely buys anything, and just goes there to watch as much violent tv as possible without paying. And one other thing I forgot to mention she has a smart mouth. When nine year old Thelma makes a new friend with another 9 year girl, Elizabeth (Ellie Raab) moving in right next to her. It is not long before another couple of John Hurt and Karen Young come by in search of an address which is coincidentally a beach house almost near Thelma's. And it is not long the mischievous of two 9 year old girls begin to happen, beginning with that idiot, Robert (John Hurt) buying Thelma a camera she asked for for her birthday, who would eventually take pictures of him even after she promise him she would "not" do. Taking pictures of him making out with his new mistress, Dorothea (Karen Young) while they were lying on the beach. The two brats would soon attempt to blackmail both Robert and his mistress, Dorothera for money unbeknownst to the brats that they were running from the law themselves for embezzlement. And it's like, it never occurred to Robert that who ever took pics of him making out with his mistress that perhaps it must be the girl that he bought the camera for on her birthday. And they do more mischievous by breaking into Robert and Dororthea's beach house uncovering a gun and so forth.
Just because it came from a book, it does not mean the movie is good as it lacks common sense and logic. Any young kid who is ungrateful as ten year old Thelma would have gotten the life choked out of her. I mean, Robert buys her a camera when no one else would, and she in turn thanks him by taking pictures of him when he told her not to. In this movie 'kids are rotten' like what comedian Bill Mahr often says- sarcastically speaking. Like, why would anyone would want kids after watching this film.
