Little Voice

Little Voice is a charming drama comedy. L.V., which stands for Little Voice, is the shy and reserved daughter of Mari Hoff, a vulgar widow, who still thinks she is in her prime.

L.V. has a special talent: she imitates Judy Garland; Marilyn Monroe and all the other stars that sing on her dead father's old records. When one of Mari's acquaintances, a showbusiness manager, hears L.V. singing, he decides to make her a star, but he never bothers to ask L.V. if she shares his dream.

Jane Horrocks, who sings all the songs, herself is perfect as L.V., but through overacting Brenda Blethyn turns Mari into a stereotype when she could have been a multi-facetet character. Blethyn's performance is not alone in reminding us that Little Voice is based on a stageplay. This is theatre, not realism.