Little Women (2019) directed by Greta Gerwig is a heart-warming and endearing take on the classic novel of the same name. The incredible cast list of Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh, Timothee Chalamet, Emma Watson and Meryl Streep reminds us of the ultimately timeless nature of the coming-of-age even with the novel being over 150 years old.

Whilst many iterations of Little Women exist across a range of media types, I haven't watched any of these other re-imaginings. When embarking on watching this film, I was reminded of my mum forcing me to read the book as a child. I resisted this furiously, arguing that this silly old book had nothing to do with my own life. As I began, I rolled my eyes at the idea of balls, horse-drawn carriages and the American civil war being interesting at all. My mum absolutely insisted I read it the whole way through, but by the end, I was not convinced.

However, upon watching this film I finally understood what my mum had been trying to argue. The film follows four sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy living with their mother as they navigate the passage into adulthood. Each sister has her own distinct personality, values and attitudes that are often at odds with the others. Yet the beauty of family and core values driven by their mother is illuminated through the film. Whilst on the surface the sisters seem to deal with entirely unrelatable issues such as marriage prospects at a young age, working to support their family, illnesses that nowadays can be easily cured; underneath lies the universality of coming-of-age experiences and the strong bonds of sisterhood.

The film covers the two novels of Louisa May Alcott: Little Women and Good Wives which began to be compiled and published in one volume in 1880. These novels cover the girls' journey from teenagehood into adulthood, from living together as a family to their later experiences of college, travel, marriage and motherhood. With that, sections of the novel must be cut out to translate into the film; which is a trepidatious minefield with any novel-based film and especially with such a classic as Little Women. However, I was impressed with how Gerwig and Sarah Polley chose to cover the plot of the film. It's told through a non-linear frame, bouncing between past and present as Jo tells the story through her desire to be a published author. At the beginning, I did feel a little confused, and I do feel like my prior knowledge of reading the novel helped me understand this plot delivery better than new viewers. Ultimately I think this helps create a stronger sense of pacing and purpose to the story, especially with Gerwig's ending departing quite significantly from the original. I am not an avid Little Women adaptee expert so perhaps this isn't a universally loved decision, but I felt like it tied together the story cohesively and made it feel like a fresh take. There were some lulls around the two-thirds mark of the film, but the general pacing was effective and the ending felt both dramatically engaging and offered a sense of resolution to a complex tale.

The cast of the film are absolutely incredible in their encapsulation of very beloved characters - another challenge of re-telling Little Women. The exclusion of certain events from the overall film can be a difficult decision as it may take away from the complexity of characters and their development across the film. Again I feel like Gerwig managed to balance this exceptionally well so that each of the sisters' own personality is showcased in all of their complexity; each character has their flaws that influence their life decisions throughout the film and this is delivered wonderfully. Throughout the film, I felt connected to each character, empathetic of their world whilst still maintaining very real shortcomings. Each actor captured their role magnificently, and I felt so engaged in all of the highs and lows that each character experiences across the film.

Overall the details of the film are what create an intimate portrayal of life and growth. The moments of quarrel between the sisters that feel like they could be happening in 2022, the romantic chemistry created between characters over years shown in the film, the seemingly unbreakable (but definitely shakable) bond that the sisters share all set in a foundation of turbulent, challenging and often unfair life circumstances that impact them. The costuming and music help create a realistic time period, reminding us of the distant setting. The music and cinematography then create a world that feels nostalgic and warm despite being incredibly distant from our lives.

This take on the original classic made me really fall in love with the tale. Whilst I didn't appreciate the timeless nature of this story when I was younger, Gerwig's complex, intimate, fun and heart-wrenching rendition of Little Women creates a fresh new adaptation for a new generation to fall in love with the March sisters' story.

Director: Greta Gerwig

Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Timothee Chalamet, Meryl Streep

Year released: 2019

My rating: 9/10

Review by Heather Glennie

Last edited: 19/02/2023