Adam Scott Battles the Antichrist in This Netflix Horror Comedy

The Big Picture

• Little Evil
  lovingly mocks possessed child movies, embracing absurdity while maintaining horror elements.
• Adam Scott’s believable performance showcases the inner turmoil and growth of a stepparent.
• The ending of
  Little Evil
  is absurd and disorienting, questioning whether Lucas is truly the Antichrist and highlighting Gary’s internal conflict.

Adam Scott is likely best known for his work in Parks and Recreation, Party Down, and Severance, and he has just joined Sony’s Spider-Verse, in Madame Web. One role that gets overlooked, however, is Netflix’s horror comedy Little Evil, in which he plays Gary, a reluctant stepfather to the Antichrist. The absurdity of the movie hinges on the relatability of Scott’s performance, and he allows it to just about get away with its ridiculousness. The movie acts as a contrast to the seriousness often associated with the possessed child subgenre. The characters in Little Evil are eccentric in their performances, and it is not just the line delivery that is over the top, it is the lines themselves. The outlandish nature of the plot and dialogue is contrasted by the empathy of Scott and this allows the movie to embrace its comedy but also keep its feet on the ground. There is a heartwarming progression from his hesitance towards fatherhood, to the acceptance of the situation and growth of his relationship with his stepson. It allows the movie, in among all the chaos, to serve as a poignant portrait of the relationship between a stepparent and a stepchild.

‘Little Evil’ Lovingly Mocks the Horror Genre

Little Evil lovingly pokes fun at the seriousness of possessed child movies, specifically The Omen. Gary’s stepson, Lucas (Owen Atlas), is dressed almost identically to the notorious Damien with his black cap hiding his long hair. Atlas perfects the hard stare that ensures Lucas’ presence in any scene is eerie and unsettling but caricatures the original enough to still be comedic. Lucas as a character manages to perfectly mock the ridiculousness that the scary child subgenre can lean towards but still retain the horror aspect. He is unnatural, eccentric but most importantly, straight-up creepy. He also spends a little too much time on the swing.

The movie also features subtle references to numerous other horror movies, including Saw and The Shining. Probably the best nod to an iconic horror movie is the allusion to Poltergeist. Gary walks in on Lucas, lit only by the TV screen with his hand outstretched and placed firmly against it. In the dark room, Lucas speaks in a deep, gruff tone of voice whilst he is possessed by Satan. This is all done in such an excessive manner. It introspectively looks at how creepy kids in horror are so effective because of the way they contrast the expectations of childhood and innocence. It strips away everything the audience anticipates and replaces it with a possessed voice that is so exaggerated that you’re just as stumped as Scott’s character is. Surely this kid is just putting this silly voice on, but then that’s how possessed kids always sound. This is where the movie nicely toys the line between its two subgenres, the absurdity of its comedy and the eeriness of its horror.

Adam Scott Shows the Inner Turmoil of Parenthood

Little Evil only succeeds because of Scott’s believable performance as a newfound stepparent torn between the joy of a new marriage and the struggle to connect with the stepchild that comes with it. It is not that he resents Lucas, it is more that he struggles to find common ground with him and this leads to turmoil in their relationship.

Scott’s acting is most effective during his interaction with other stepparents. He is cautious with the way he describes his situation, and you can sense the trepidation in his voice, the worry that he is the only one going through this. However, when the other stepdads reassure him that their children also make their lives hell, Scott doesn’t let his character relax. In fact, one parent finishes his sentence describing Lucas as like the antichrist and this immediately rings warning bells. Scott indicates the shock of the blunt nature of this response, even though it is obviously a figure of speech. The movie is so blatant and often blurs the lines between those who use the term antichrist as a metaphor and those who believe in the evil force, and this is a cause of confusion for both Scott and the audience.

The jokes in Little Evil echo this blatant nature, and they are matter-of-fact, relying on wordplay over slapstick comedy. At one point, Gary is told he must visit Jerusalem and immediately dismisses how ridiculous that would be. This makes fun of the long road trips characters often go on in horror movies to visit an important figure with prior knowledge of the situation, dropping everything. Gary just admits defeat until he sees New Jerusalem is actually an area in Pennsylvania. The reveal is such a smack in the face; it’s silly, but the tone the movie carries allows it to work.

The Ending of ‘Little Evil’ is Absurd

Towards the end of Little Evil — after Gary has been locked in a coffin by Lucas and reached the end of patience — he decides he has to finally put an end to his antics, planning to earn his trust before killing him. What follows is the most absurdly out-of-place montage of the two playing the role of father and son. The tonal shift is so unexpected and showcases how ridiculous montages can look in the way it is purposely overacted. Watching it knowing it is all a ploy to gain Lucas’ trust while seeing Gary soften as he sees Lucas laughing is disorientating. Despite everything that has come before it, there are question marks over whether Lucas is actually the Antichrist or if it is all in Gary’s head. It is the peak of the internal conflict, Gary worries that he is overreacting but still attempting to rationalize the situation in front of him.

In the end, it doesn’t matter if Lucas is the Antichrist at all. Gary realizes his role as a parent overshadows that, and his responsibility is to protect Lucas. Unlike other movies within the possessed child subgenre, it humanizes Lucas and the audience is rooting for his relationship with Gary. The movie doesn’t remove the evil, it is simply something Lucas has to live with; every child has issues and this is just something Gary has to deal with. Sure, Little Evil is silly at times, but the heartfelt moments are genuinely touching. It allows Adam Scott to show his acting range in an unexpected story.

Little Evil is available to stream on Netflix in the U.S.

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