New York Review Excerpts

NYC Movie Guru

by Avi Offer

They have a young, healthy, and energetic girl named Gabrielle who’s simply a ray of sunshine. There are many beautiful scenes when she interacts with Nicholas. A very affective musical score adds a layer of incredible, nerve-racking surprise. Ultimately, you feel as if he’s your own son — every precious moment that he’s alive is a true miracle.
Spiritual Value: Every scene brings tears to your eyes — tears of joy and tears of sorrow. His parents’ heart-wrenching journey to keep him alive shows you how important it is to never give up hope no matter what. After watching this film, you will not only believe in miracles, but cherish every day that you’re alive and healthy.
Insult to Your Intelligence: None.
Number of Times I Checked My Watch: 0.
The Bottom Line: Emotionally powerful, gripping, and incredibly life-affirming!

 

New York Magazine

Critic's Pick

A striking documentary in which director Nicole Conn turns the camera on herself.… It’s an admirable, at times devastating, balancing act…. Throughout [Nicholas’] struggle for life, so struggle filmmaker Nicole Conn and political activist Gwen Baba to keep their family from disintegrating under the unrelenting stress and chaos of hospitals, emergency medical crises and a crushing blow to trust. The film explores the core of the human spirit as a family realizes that they are capable of enduring the unthinkable. Through dedication, love and commitment to the sheer force that is family, the miracle of life extends its hand to all of us. Do we choose to grab on?

 

TV Guide Online

by Ken Fox

Groundbreaking gay filmmaker Nicole Conn[‘s]… deeply personal film often feels more like an artfully produced home video than a documentary.

 

Reel.com

“When does caring become cruelty?” That’s one of the many provocative questions raised by “little man,” Nicole Conn’s deeply affecting and eloquent chronicle of her prematurely born son’s struggle to survive. Filmed over a two-year period, this uncommonly candid and heartfelt documentary takes an unstinting look at the emotional, ethical, financial, and physical challenges parents face with “micro-preemies” like Nicholas.… “little man” is an uplifting testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of terrible adversity

 

The New York Sun

Nicole Conn has made an ultimately captivating (though initially unsettling) documentary with “little man,” a chronicle of the premature birth and troubled life of her son Nicholas.

 

Indieville.com

by Rachel Cox

“little man” is a difficult and beautiful film to watch. It is thus highly recommended.

 

The New York Daily News

by Jaime Bernard

…Inherently uplifting… examines not only the extraordinary medical, financial and human lengths required to keep a tiny heart beating.