There is a world where all of Little Wing's ideas make thematic sense, as a story about a young woman reeling from the difficulty of her home life. But as it is now, the film just isn't tightly woven enough, with various characters and subplots making little effect on the whole and major conflicts barely leaving consequences for the characters to deal with afterwards. It's definitely unique; you aren't likely to find many movies about pigeon racing anywhere. But even then, Little Wing doesn't allow us to get an insider look into pigeon racing as a sport, nor how this underground network is even supposed to operate. Without a strong enough setting to support this story, it becomes much harder to suspend one's disbelief and enjoy the strange things it shows us.
Synopsis
For 13-year-old Kaitlyn, her world threatens to collapse when she learns that her parents want to get a divorce, especially because it threatens the loss of the house they shared in Portland, which had always been Kaitlyn's home. The teenage girl has dark thoughts and lost interest in life. The breeding pigeons given to her by her mother's police colleague don't make things any better. What should she do with the birds? Then her best friend Adam gives her an idea: they could steal the very valuable racing pigeon named Granger from the local breeder Jaan Vari, sell it and use the proceeds to pay off the mortgage on her family's home. The plan initially works, but then everything seems to go wrong and Kaitlyn loses her footing even more. But surprisingly, the old man who was robbed takes care of the girl and a bond develops between the two, which ultimately leads her to a new outlook on life.
Storyline
In a desperate bid to save her home after her parents' divorce, a teenage girl steals a valuable bird for money and finds herself involved in the world of pigeon racing.
TLDR
There's never been a wilder-sounding name for a European EDM group than the Russian Pigeon Mafia.
What stands out
Even with a weak script and direction that's frequently too self-serious for its own good, the lead actors of Little Wing still give this project their all. Young Brooklynn Prince (best known for her breakout role in Sean Baker's The Florida Project) proves herself totally capable of staring down her grown-up scene partners with ease, while Brian Cox (who also serves as an executive producer) easily finds three dimensions to a character that could've just been curmudgeonly. A star of Cox's caliber could have just phoned in this performance but there's sincerity that comes through here even in his angrier moments.