When I was 11 I saw Little Nikita (starring Sidney Poitier, River Phoenix, and Richard Jenkins) and I really liked it. I was enthralled. If I’d had access to it to watch it over and over again I would have. It’s been a significantly long time since I’ve seen it. I know watching it today it wouldn’t have a chance of the same deep impact on my heart and soul as it did when it came out. I mean… Sidney Poitier and River Phoenix. Amazing cast. How could I not be pulled in. At the time I had no idea who Richard Jenkins was, but I think here in 2025 we can all admit that he’s a hell of a great actor too. 

This post is not a review of Little Nikita. It is kind of a review of my memory of it. So potentially inaccurate spoilers ahead.

Though they’re for a movie made 37 years ago. But still. I try to avoid them. So if you’re a person who cares if I spoil the plot of Little Nikita for you please do not scroll past this picture.

I don’t know what picture to put here so I guess let me go find something appropriate…

Fun right? If you’ve seen it I feel like this is a fun harmless nod to something. If you haven’t you’re like of course the crazy tattooed lady is going to put a picture of an upside-down ballerina with an Elvis tattoo on her thigh. Why wouldn’t she?

Okay. So it’s just us now. Those spoiler-worried folks who have never beheld the greatness of the movie are gone. 

Unless you were spoiler-worried but then you went and watched the movie and now you have not only seen it but returned to read the rest of this post. If that’s the case truly and sincerely let me know in the comments. I’d love to discuss…

This is where I admit that as of writing this post at 7:14 pm Wednesday, January 8, 2025, I haven’t seen that movie in a long time and remember very few actual details of it. All that matters for this post is that it was about two Soviet Sleeper Agents deeply embedded in their community, their son who knows nothing about it, and the FBI agent who unwittingly becomes besties with the kid.

And the reason we are talking about this? Can you guess? Is because I am deep in the roller coaster of processing my thoughts and feelings on the ‘tism and I am suddenly in a loop of being like omg my brain is like the 4 characters in the movie. The two great pretenders, the innocent, and the one who knows something isn’t right here.

I feel like Sidney’s character just got ahold of the wheel for the first time and is telling young Phoenix everything he needs to know about his parents the sleeper agents who we’re thinking of as neurotypical masking so deep that I never thought to suspect. 

So like… I’m totally ousting those two creeps keeping Sidney and the truth away from me. Or at the very least setting some huge boundaries with them and totally not visiting them in jail.

Although I don’t actually remember if they die, go to jail, or move to the middle of the desert to live alone in anonymity. I really don’t recall. I guess I should see if I can find it to watch somewhere. 

Okay. That’s it for now. Unless you want to tell me what movie makes you think about Autism, because yeah I’d be curious.