Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- tense
- paranoid
- melancholic
- 1980s movie night
- spy thriller marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly found the espionage premise compelling but undermined by implausible plotting, routine direction, and weak character chemistry.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Jeff discovers that his apparently ordinary parents are deep-cover Russian agents while FBI surveillance closes in.
Roy Parmenter's investigation of Jeff evolves into a protective connection with the teenage target.
Jeff's family history and personal identity are destabilized by falsified background information and espionage.
Roy monitors Jeff and his family after identifying suspicious records and tracing Karpov's movements.
Films like Little Nikita, and why
The Fourth Protocol
shares cold war espionage, divided loyalties, and a grounded thriller framework
The Manchurian Candidate
shares teenage identity conflict, family secrecy, and political thriller tension
The Client
shares an adult investigator forming an uneasy bond with a young person caught in espionage
Movie Details
- Director
- Richard Benjamin
- Release Date
- 1988-03-17
- Runtime
- 98 min
- Rating
- 6.0 / 10 (123)
Cast
- Sidney Poitier
- River Phoenix
- Richard Jenkins
- Caroline Kava
- Richard Bradford
- Richard Lynch
- Loretta Devine
- Lucy Deakins
- Jerry Hardin
- Albert Fortell
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Little Nikita about?
- An FBI investigator uncovering a teenager’s hidden family identity is drawn into a dangerous Cold War confrontation involving Soviet sleeper agents and an old vendetta.
- What is Little Nikita like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Little Nikita as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Little Nikita violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Little Nikita as mild.
- What did critics think of Little Nikita?
- Critics broadly found the espionage premise compelling but undermined by implausible plotting, routine direction, and weak character chemistry.
- Which films are like Little Nikita?
- Films with a similar feel include The Fourth Protocol, The Manchurian Candidate, and The Client.
- How long is Little Nikita?
- Little Nikita runs 98 minutes.
- Where can I watch Little Nikita?
- In United States, Little Nikita is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
