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Little John

  • TV Movie
  • 2002
  • TV-PG
  • 1h 40m
IMDb RATING
6.6/10
370
YOUR RATING
Ving Rhames and Gloria Reuben in Little John (2002)
Drama

The unmarried daughter of a Texas rancher gives birth to an unwanted child. She puts the child up for adoption and moves away from home. Without her knowledge, her father took the boy and ra... Read allThe unmarried daughter of a Texas rancher gives birth to an unwanted child. She puts the child up for adoption and moves away from home. Without her knowledge, her father took the boy and raised him. Twelve years later, she is now a successful family-court judge in L.A. Over the ... Read allThe unmarried daughter of a Texas rancher gives birth to an unwanted child. She puts the child up for adoption and moves away from home. Without her knowledge, her father took the boy and raised him. Twelve years later, she is now a successful family-court judge in L.A. Over the years, she has avoided her father and knows nothing of the child. That all changes when he... Read all

  • Director
    • Dick Lowry
  • Writers
    • Temma Kramer
    • H. Haden Yelin
  • Stars
    • Ving Rhames
    • Gloria Reuben
    • Ruben Santiago-Hudson
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.6/10
    370
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Dick Lowry
    • Writers
      • Temma Kramer
      • H. Haden Yelin
    • Stars
      • Ving Rhames
      • Gloria Reuben
      • Ruben Santiago-Hudson
    • 12User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination total

    Photos3

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    Top cast27

    Edit
    Ving Rhames
    Ving Rhames
    • John Morgan
    Gloria Reuben
    Gloria Reuben
    • Natalie Britain
    Ruben Santiago-Hudson
    Ruben Santiago-Hudson
    • Steven
    Adilah Barnes
    Adilah Barnes
    • Aunt Etta Green
    Robert Bailey Jr.
    Robert Bailey Jr.
    • L.J. Morgan
    Patty Duke
    Patty Duke
    • Sylvia
    Ellis Williams
    • Lou
    • (as Ellis E. Williams)
    Elizabeth Anne Smith
    • Sister Mary
    Dex Elliott Sanders
    • Nelson
    Hayden Tank
    • Benny
    Henry G. Sanders
    Henry G. Sanders
    • Merle
    Peter Van Norden
    Peter Van Norden
    • Presiding Judge
    Rainbow Borden
    Rainbow Borden
    • Messenger
    Octavia Spencer
    Octavia Spencer
    • Waitress
    • (as Octavia L. Spencer)
    Adrian Sparks
    Adrian Sparks
    • Cowboy
    Wayne Thomas Yorke
    Wayne Thomas Yorke
    • Bus Driver
    Jack McGee
    Jack McGee
    • Bailiff
    Scott Burkholder
    Scott Burkholder
    • Mr. Williams
    • Director
      • Dick Lowry
    • Writers
      • Temma Kramer
      • H. Haden Yelin
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews12

    6.6370
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    Featured reviews

    5jgyrlz

    Little John (2002) AWESOME MOVIE

    Little John is well worth watching! Great acting, plot and ending. Tear-jerker. We all can learn from this; especially people who don't take the time to listen but judge. Humility, communicating patience and love always helps. This movie shows us that at the end of the day, everything comes full-circle, and when we least expect it.

    Ving Rhames is one of my favorite actors and the young man who played LJ, was great. Gloria Reuben does not disappoint us as she, like Ving, has played many strong and diverse roles. I hope that I didn't spoil anything for you.

    So, relax and enjoy this amazing movie on Hallmark.
    5myspecialparadise

    Interesting

    This movie has a powerhouse of seasoned actors. Unfortunately, the scripting left more to be desired, and miscasting is quite evident when it comes to Patty Duke! Don't get me wrong, I like Patty (Anna Marie), but this role was a no fit! Patty Duke is way above that role, which was placid, sweet, and totally boring! On the other hand ... it was nice to see her looking so good ... in 2002 ... but a wallflower she is not! The story pretty much stinks with contradictions in the role of Little John's mother, played by Gloria Reuben. Another fine actress wasting her time with this movie. First, she appears too young to have the position she has acquired as a Judge. And, being a Judge that makes extremely important decisions in regards to abused children ... and, basically, having done the same thing by abandoning her own baby ... is totally crapola! Her role, as already said, was ridiculous and contradictory of her own inner qualities. Plus, the idea that she never told her father that she was raped is highly improbable! Anyone, having their own father telling them that he was disappointed in her because she allowed herself to become pregnant ... would ... scream RAPE! Its a matter of self-preservation when it comes to a child being scorn by a parent for something he, or she, had no control of. Emotional reflex! Ving Rhames ... I don't dare say anything against him ... we share the same birthday. Frankly, this a a seasoned actor and did a great job with his part ... but, alas, he was also miscast! Ving Rhames is like an action hero ... volatile, somewhat like Patty Duke, that bites the reins in most of his roles. So, basically, what I am saying here is this ... the cast was subdued ... sat in a chair and had the hands tied behind their backs ... like alka seltzer without the fizz! One keeps waiting for the high dramatics, which Patty and Ving are loved for, but all we get is a two day old flat soda ... a bore.

    As for the main character ... same goes here also. When you see this little kid take care of his grandpa ... and drive this truck to a diner for help ... you think ... this is going to be a winner! Wrong! The bottom line is this ... a lot of good actors were hired to waste their time developing a loser that is beneath every one of them! The acting was quite good, all around, but it was still a bore!
    8kris_robbie

    A little boy is reunited with his mother after she dumps him

    This was a very good movie, the part that really moved me was when the grandfather decided to adopt the boy so that his grandchild would not be adopted by an unknown family. It was really cool when the L.J went looking for his mother only to find out that it was not going to be as easy as he thought. Very good ending too!
    7jewelch

    Well worth watching

    Gloria Reuben, Ving Rhames, Robert Bailey, Jr. Star in Little John a very good movie about A family court judge's life is turned upside down when her father and long-lost son-whom she thought she gave up for adoption show up and try to make amends. I recommend it. James Welch Henderson, Arkansas 4/20/2021.
    5rsternesq

    Affirmative Action Judge

    Well if one can go from being in college to being a full-fledged judge with everyone very excited about you in only twelve short years, with at least three of those years spent in law school, then what can't you do? Being a mom to a half grown boy who is already just about raised and just about perfect should be a piece of cake. What a waste of everyone's time and talent. BTW, the kid is so cute, if she isn't convinced, I'll take him. No problem. Tell Grandpa the kid was right the first time and that the aunt and uncle would do in a pinch. Heck, I'd prefer the vet from the diner in terms of human warmth to the frozen judgette.

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      Gloria Reuben, who plays Natalie, is only 5 years younger than Ving Rhames, who plays her father.
    • Connections
      Edited into Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951)

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    Details

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    • Release date
      • May 5, 2002 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Hallmark Hall of Fame: Little John (#51.4)
    • Filming locations
      • Halfway House Cafe - 15564 Sierra Highway, Santa Clarita, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Hallmark Hall of Fame Productions
      • McGee Street Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 40 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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