Little Noises

The Los Angeles Times gave the film a mostly positive review, noting that while it had "a few flaws" the film was ultimately "a promising debut film filled with talent and feeling", calling Glover's performance "virtuosic".^[5] Marc Savlov of The Austin Chronicle commended the film, saying Spencer creates a "moving and literate fable that explores the dangerous waters of artistic self-delusion, and the consequences of literary theft."^[6] He wrote, "Spencer's film is a brilliant 'little' foray into the bittersweet world of the hopeless and the disillusioned. Little Noises is filled to bursting with wonderfully detailed characterizations, and although we've seen this stuttering, nervous, absent-minded portrayal from Glover before, it's no less fresh in this context. Mayall's obscenely pompous literary agent is likewise excellent and actually does add a touch of humor to what might otherwise have been a seriously downbeat film. This is a superbly crafted film that points out a few truths we may recognize as buried within ourselves, and as such, it also works as a charming cautionary tale regarding the pros and cons of dreaming and doing."^[6]

TV Guide wrote the film "does offer reflections on the artistic process and selling out", but said "unfortunately, these and other promising themes (the conflict between artistic expression and the desire to have that expression garner approval from society; the plight of the struggling writer in an unsubsidized landscape; and the process by which some shed friends as they climb the ladder of success) are handled too blatantly".^[7]

Dave Kehr of the Chicago Tribune commented that while he enjoyed Glover's performance, the film "drifts through a number of ill-defined, unnecessary sequences-including scenes involving Nina Siemaszko as a pretty girl with a crush on Joey, and John C. McGinley as the true poet's drug-dealing brother-before it arrives at its surprisingly bleak conclusion."^[8] Kehr added, "Glover's character is [largely played] for pathos, and it isn't much fun feeling sorry for him. He's better, and more dangerous, than that."^[8] He concluded the film does not "bring a strong point of view to the material, so it's often hard to tell whether we're meant to find Joey sweet and appealing or creepy and clinically disturbed."^[8] Lloyd Sachs of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote a mostly negative review, stating that while he felt the film had some highlights, its subplot was "pretentious" and "overreaching".^[9] Others lamented the relatively little screen time for O'Neal.^[10][1]

• Little Noises at IMDb