A Little Prayer (2023) Movie Review: A Devastating, Perceptive Drama Of Generational Empathy

“A Little Prayer” is a film that is so humble in its intentions, restrained within its production, and understated in its approach that it automatically earns goodwill, as there could be no other goal on the part of writer/director Angus MacLachlan than to make an artistically satisfying work of empathetic filmmaking. While the phrase “slice-of-life” is often applied to independent films, few have the audaciousness to be as genuinely observational as “A Little Prayer.” It’s a film that avoids cliches, doesn’t offer easy solutions, and resists the temptation to compound its narrative with more overwhelming emotional moments. Those seeking an incendiary work of awards bait may be disappointed, but “A Little Prayer” is a generous film that has both wisdom and compassion on its subject of familial evolution.

Both set and shot within the small town of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, “A Little Prayer” is a snapshot of the life of working-class bank manager Bill (David Strathairn), who works alongside his son, David (Will Pullen). Bill and his wife, Veinda (Celia Weston), have maintained a healthy relationship based on mutual respect and honesty, but concerns begin to emerge when they notice strange behavior from David. David lives at home with his wife, Tammy (Jane Levy), an overwhelmingly generous woman who has gone above and beyond to make everyone she encounters feel comfortable. Although Bill begins to suspect that David is having an affair with his co-worker Narcedalia (Dascha Polanco), he fears that investigating further could end up splintering his family and breaking hearts.

“A Little Prayer” offers to simply explore moments in these characters’ lives instead of explaining their relationships to the audience, as the film proceeds with a rhythmic structure that mirrors the rather uneventful approach that Bill takes to life. Some annoyances, such as a rowdy neighbor and his troublesome daughter Patti (Anna Camp), will seemingly always exist in some capacity, but Bill still finds joy in operating a business in which he feels connected with his employees. Although the film is tasteful in suggesting what transgressions David may have been responsible for, the emotional impact is intense because of the profound reaction that David has. David has justified his modest life on the assumption that he has treated people with respect and fairness, and he’s horrified to consider that the son he raised would betray these beliefs.

A Little Prayer (2023) — A still from “A Little Prayer” (2023)

Strathairn has long been an underrated actor whose poise, dignity, and subtlety have been overlooked in an industry that awards the biggest and loudest, if not best, performances. “A Little Prayer” is the best performance that Strathairn has given since his Oscar-nominated role in “Good Night, and Good Luck,” as he conveys the warmth and vulnerability of a world-weary man who comes to question his life’s achievements.

Despite finding joy within the opportunity to be so close to his family, Bill can’t help but question how strong of a father he actually was, as David’s infidelity has gone unnoticed, and Patti has fallen in and out of a toxic marriage in which her daughter, Hadley (Billie Roy), has felt the consequences. Most devastating is the fact that Bill realizes that Veinda has withheld her knowledge of the situation, as she assumed that her husband would soon become wise to what was going on.

The crux of “A Little Prayer” is the emotional connection between Bill and Tammy, who have felt connected through their shared selflessness. Bill has given his entire life to unremarkable work and rarely mentions the military service that would have seemingly given him some degree of trauma. Similarly, Tammy has been loyal to David and often provides maternal compassion to Hadley, despite the couple’s skittishness about raising a child of their own. Although the notion of a strong connection between an older man and his daughter-in-law is somewhat unusual, “A Little Prayer” shows how both Bill and Tammy have come to respect one another’s values, regardless of any familial connections that they may share. While Bill feels that it is his responsibility to ensure that David acts in an appropriate way, his greater concern is that his son’s callous behavior would cause any distress to Tammy.

“A Little Prayer” avoids the dramatic shouting matches or major twists that may have made it a more buzzy indie title, but that doesn’t mean that it is toothless in following its narrative to the natural conclusions. In fact, the clear-eyed perspective that the characters gain by the time that the film comes to its ending does not imply a clear path forward, as “A Little Prayer” suggests that even cyclical issues can become unpredictable. It’s also not a film that dangles a perfect solution in front of the audience and then snatches it away. Even if characters were to take radical action in order to be more honest and gracious, untangling the emotional webs that have consumed this small community would take time to heal.

“A Little Prayer” takes the perspective of an older man whose old-fashioned nature is merely the product of the world that he grew up in. Although the film touches on some more divisive issues in regards to family values and gender roles, it never casts judgment and observes a realistic way in which characters would react to a given situation. If anything, “A Little Prayer” makes an argument that it’s impossible to impose universal standards upon people of different backgrounds and experiences, as every situation has a unique context. While the film is not so self-important that it suggests its characters are exceptional in some regard, the unity that MacLachlan had with the material clearly gave it a degree of specificity that proves very affecting.

It’s not a complete shock to see that “A Little Prayer” has somewhat struggled to find a home, as despite strong reviews at the Sundance Film Festival in 2023, a distribution deal with Sony Pictures Classics fell through amidst the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strike. Now handled by Music Box Films, “A Little Prayer” will likely hit only a handful of theaters in coastal regions before being dumped on a streaming service, with the hope that critical acclaim will attract more eyeballs. In a more just world, “A Little Prayer” would be celebrated for its beauty, and both Levy and Strathairn would find themselves in the awards conversation. Nonetheless, the unsuspecting themes of “A Little Prayer” ensure that its existence is a minor miracle, and that anyone savvy enough to check it out will find themselves rewarded.