SummaryDede is a sole parent trying to bring up her son Fred. When it is discovered that Fred is a genius, she is determined to ensure that Fred has all the opportunities that he needs, and that he is not taken advantage of by people who forget that his extremely powerful intellect is harboured in the body and emotions of a child.
Directed By:Jodie Foster
Written By:Scott Frank
Little Man Tate
Metascore
Generally Favorable
71
User score
Generally Favorable
6.6
My Score
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Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
71
80% Positive
4 Reviews
4 Reviews
20% Mixed
1 Review
1 Review
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
88
Little Man Tate is the kind of movie you enjoy watching; it's about interesting people finding out about themselves.
70
Filled with small, telling moments rather than big events, film never really gets inside Fred’s head, but it neatly sketches the external aspects of his predicament.
User score
Generally Favorable
6.6
56% Positive
5 Ratings
5 Ratings
33% Mixed
3 Ratings
3 Ratings
11% Negative
1 Rating
1 Rating
Mar 22, 2025
8
Jodie Foster's first experiment as an actress-director will not be extraordinary, but it will be acceptable enough. The story of a single mother and her efforts to support her genius son has enough to connect with the viewer, and that is what makes it valid.
Sep 16, 2019
8
Very likable. A nice little emotional number. A bite size movie; small in the sense that it keeps its subject matter contained in a pleasantly accessible place (Did that sound blowhardy? I’m pretty sure it’ll make sense though if you see the movie ??). Jodie Foster’s great! (Director and Cast) Is she underrated overall? I’ll have to check the internet on that one, but I think she might be. SPOILER ALERT: My only complaint is that H____ C______ J_ wasn’t at the birthday party. Happy viewer!
70
As directed by Ms. Foster, the film has a kind of purity of purpose and control that is very rare in mass-market movies. It avoids a lot of sentimental nonsense. It is also sparely (and well-) written by Scott Frank.
67
Although Scott Frank's screenplay has more than a few holes in it...they're forgivable, mostly because this movie is so utterly likable. Little Man Tate is a small movie by industry standards, but it nevertheless stands pretty tall.
58
Little Man Tate keeps introducing characters and narrative lines that seem promising, but it doesn’t sustain them. The movie feels like three Afterschool Specials welded together.
Production Company:
- Orion Pictures
Release Date:Nov 1, 1991
Duration:1 h 39 m
Rating:PG
Tagline:It's not what he knows. It's what he understands.
Awards
Young Artist Awards
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
Jupiter Award
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards
• 1 Nomination
