K.T Simpson
Despite being written in the 1800’s, “Little Women” by Louisa May Alcott is surprisingly still relevant. This becomes glaringly obviously in Greta Gerwig’s take, reminding audiences that the pains of romance, friendship and family still remain at the crux of our lives, well over a century later. While they can’t easily swipe right on Tinder and find a date, the girls of “Little Women” aren’t short on male attention, meeting people ‘the old-fashioned’ way and forming emotional connections that can be complicated by the many other factors in their lives – including career goals, which at the time were particularly troublesome if you were a woman.
“Little Women” stars rising-star Saoirse Ronan as Jo March, “Harry Potter” alumn Emma Watson as Meg March, Florence Pugh as Amy March, and Eliza Scanlen as Beth March, with the four sisters facing the challenges of growing up while at the same time navigating their potential suitors, dreaming of a bigger and better life, and battling illnesses – which are a lot more dangerous when you live in the 1860’s. Their mother Marmee, played spectacularly by Laura Dern, lives a contrasting life to their Aunt (Meryl Streep), who lives very comfortably having never been married – a rarity in the times. With their father away at war, it’s Marmee’s job to look after the girls and take care of the house in his absence.
While Jo dreams of a career, and thus putting the idea of marriage firmly behind her, the other girls dream of finding their perfect man, with Amy off to live with Aunt March – complete with big dresses and overseas travel. Friend of the family Laurie (Timothée Chalamet) is forever the staple in their lives, with his interests initially lying with Jo, but the other girls all holding a soft spot for the young man.
Whether you’ve read the book or not, “Little Women” is an incredible journey to ride, with an amazing cast and a well-directed film – proving that Gerwig didn’t fluke it with last years’ Oscar-contender “Ladybird”. It’s hard to envisiage being able to relate to a film set in a century none of us got the pleasure of experiencing, but its themes are still applicable today – maybe just exchange the clothes (even though the fashions of the 1860’s are STUNNING – shout out to the team behind the costume design).
“Little Women” adaptations aren’t uncommon, but Gerwig has done a superb job of turning the book into a gorgeous feature film, with characters that you’ll fall in love with, and find yourself gripped on each story as it unfolds.
5/5 stars.
