Little City

Little City

Year: 1997

Runtime: 90 mins

Language: English

Director: Roberto Benabib

ComedyRomance

Best friends Adam and Kevin share almost everything—so much that Kevin begins a secret affair with Adam’s girlfriend, Nina. When newcomer Rebecca arrives, the love triangle becomes a tangled quartet. The film humorously explores the chaotic, modern complexities of relationships, showing how love today can be both tangled and wildly entertaining.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Little City yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline & Setting – Little City (1997)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Little City (1997). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

San Francisco, California

Set in a compact urban landscape, the film follows a tight-knit group of friends whose lives revolve around a bar, a church, and intimate apartments. The action mainly unfolds in a bar where Kevin and Rebecca work, with key scenes in a Catholic church, a coffee shop, and various homes in the city. The city’s close quarters amplify the interwoven relationships and the emotional entanglements driving the story.

🏙️ City setting 🍷 Bar life

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:54

Main Characters – Little City (1997)

Meet the key characters of Little City (1997), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Adam (Josh Charles)

A cab driver who pursues painting and navigates a web of romantic complications. He is protective of Nina, suspicious of her affair with Kevin, and struggles with his own inability to move on from past relationships. His arc includes confronting Kevin, breaking up with Nina, and eventually crossing paths with Rebecca, sparking a new connection.

❤️ Romantic 💔 Jealousy 🌀 Ambition

Rebecca (Penelope Ann Miller)

A single woman new to the 'small town' of San Francisco who takes a bartender job and befriends Kevin. She seeks genuine connection, embraces a lesbian relationship with Anne to explore her desires, and later connects with Adam, navigating vulnerability and intimacy along the way.

💃 Independent ❤️ Romantic 💔 Heartbreak

Nina (Annabella Sciorra)

Kevin's lover who is secretly seeing him while also engaging with Adam. She experiences guilt about the deception and ultimately becomes pregnant, unsure whether the child is Kevin's or Adam's. She agrees to marry Kevin despite lingering doubts about his past patterns and loyalty.

💔 Infidelity 👶 Pregnancy 🧭 Decision

Kate (Joanna Going)

Nina's rival who comes out as a lesbian after leaving Adam for Anne. She attempts to rekindle with Adam, but ultimately discovers she is more drawn to women, deciding to stay single for now and focus on self-discovery.

🏳️‍🌈 Identity 💔 Heartbreak 🌀 Relationship dynamics

Kevin (Jon Bon Jovi)

A charming but repeatable womanizing bartender who believes his love is real but struggles to break his pattern of leaving after sex. He pursues Nina and later contemplates marriage with her, attempting to reconcile his feelings with his history of commitment issues.

💔 Infidelity ❤️ Love 🌀 Pattern

Landlord (Joe Bellan)

A minor character seen in the urban setting, primarily present in scenes within rental spaces associated with the main characters. His presence contributes to the lived-in atmosphere of the neighborhood.

🏠 Minor role 🗝️ Apartment setting

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:54

Major Themes – Little City (1997)

Explore the central themes of Little City (1997), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

💔 Love and Betrayal

Romantic entanglements drive the core conflict, as characters repeatedly pursue desire only to abandon them when appearances and impulses shift. Infidelity threads through Kevin, Nina, and Adam, revealing the fragility of trust. The relationships oscillate between passion and deception, leaving emotional wounds that color every choice. The constant switching of partners exposes the difficulty of forming lasting commitment.

🧭 Identity and Self-Discovery

Rebecca explores her sexuality by casually venturing into a lesbian relationship, challenging her assumptions about desire. Kate's realization that she is more attracted to women becomes a central turn in her arc. The characters test their boundaries, leading to choices that redefine their identities and directions. The narrative uses intimate experiences to examine how love can prompt self-understanding.

🎭 Facade and Reality

Characters wear social masks—appearing confident or carefree while concealing insecurity and guilt. The bar, church, and coffee shop become stages where desires clash with appearances and expectations. The story exposes how people present themselves to fit a narrative of love, loyalty, or normalcy. The pursuit of romance often hides deeper conflicts and contradictions.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:54

Mobile App Preview

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Mobile App

From blockbusters to hidden gems — dive into movie stories anytime, anywhere. Save your favorites, discover plots faster, and never miss a twist again.

Sign up to be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private — always.

Unlock the Full Story of Little City

Don't stop at just watching — explore Little City in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Little City is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Little City Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Little City, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Little City Summary

Little City Timeline

Track the full timeline of Little City with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Little City Timeline

Little City Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Little City that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

Little City Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Little City

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Little City: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About Little City