The Little Things Ending Explained [SPOILER!]

SPOILER ALERT: the following article contains massive spoilers, including the ending. If you have not yet seen the movie, proceed at your own risk, or better, come back to this article later!

SPOILERS AHEAD

The Little Things Plot Summary

In Los Angeles in 1990, Kern County deputy sheriff Joe “Deke” Deacon is called to the L.A. Sheriff’s Department precinct to collect forensic evidence pertaining to a recent murder. Deacon, a former detective now under pressure to retire by his superiors, accompanies recently appointed lead detective Jimmy Baxter to the scene of a new murder in L.A. Deacon notices similarities between the M.O. of the killing with an old serial murder case he was unable to solve during his days as a detective.

That night, a woman, Ronda Rathbun, is followed by a car while jogging and is reported missing the following morning. Baxter learns from the precinct’s captain, Farris, that Deacon got divorced and suffered a heart attack, due to his intense obsession with his unsolved murder case, and is advised not to involve Deacon any further in the current investigation. Deacon, however, takes a week of vacation and rents a cheap apartment in Los Angeles so that he can remain in the city and assist in solving Baxter’s case.

The next night, the police discover the body of another murder victim washed up beneath a bridge. Baxter learns from his partner that the M.O. is consistent with both the earlier murder as well as the string of killings that Deacon was unable to solve: the victims were all prostitutes stabbed to death. Deacon begins investigating Albert Sparma, a potential suspect working at a repair store in proximity to the murders. Sparma thwarts Deacon’s attempt at tailing him; he is later brought in for questioning, where he taunts the detectives. Sparma is released after provoking Deacon into an angry outburst.

The FBI is called in to take charge of the investigation within the week, giving Deacon and Baxter less time to solve the case. Farris informs Baxter that Sparma falsely confessed to murder ten years ago, that he could not have committed as he was ten miles away from it at the time it occurred, and is not a reliable suspect. Baxter, unconvinced, continues to join Deacon in investigating Sparma. After an unsuccessful search of Sparma’s apartment, the two tail him as he leaves a strip club the following night. Baxter corners Sparma alone and demands to know Rathbun’s location. Sparma offers to drive Baxter to where he supposedly hid Rathbun’s body; Baxter cautiously accompanies Sparma in the latter’s car, while Deacon follows them.

Sparma takes Baxter to a remote area in the desert and has him dig several holes in search of Rathbun’s corpse before admitting that the trip was a ruse and that he never killed anyone. A skeptical Baxter continues digging; Sparma begins to taunt him repeatedly, until Baxter snaps and strikes Sparma over the head with a shovel, killing him. Deacon arrives shortly thereafter; a flashback reveals that he accidentally shot one of the survivors of his last murder case and that Farris and Dunigan, the precinct’s coroner, helped cover up the incident. Deacon offers similar assistance to a shaken Baxter, instructing him to bury Sparma in the desert. Deacon spends the night discarding all evidence from Sparma’s apartment and returns to the desert the following morning as Baxter finishes digging Sparma’s grave. Baxter is desperate to believe that Sparma is their suspect, hoping it will justify his actions, and bring the case closure. Deacon, however, advises him to forget about the case completely or it will haunt him for life.

The Ending

Later on, Baxter receives an envelope containing a red barrette worn by Rathbun the night of her disappearance and is relieved, believing it to have been collected from Sparma’s apartment. At his home, Deacon burns the rest of the evidence from Sparma, as well as a new pack of barrettes, having mailed the one to Baxter to provide him ostensible closure on the case.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0).