LITTLE WOMEN – A Review by Cynthia Flores
If you didn’t get what you were hoping for this holiday season under the tree, don’t worry because Santa has left you a great big gift at the movies. I’m talking about the new film Little Women by writer-director Greta Gerwig. She started out as an actress, but I think she’s found her calling as a director. Her debut was Lady Bird in 2017 and it garnered five Academy Award nominations. Now, she’s crafted a Little Women that draws on both the classic novel and the writings of Louisa May Alcott. The story unfolds as the author’s alter ego, Jo March, reflects back and forth on her fictional life. In Gerwig’s hands, the beloved story of the March sisters is both timeless and timely. A new generation of girls will be introduced on film to the four young women of this classic piece of literature, each determined to live life on her own terms. The March sisters are the writer and tomboy Jo (Saoirse Ronan), the teacher Meg (Emma Watson), the vain middle child Amy (Florence Pugh), and the sweet baby of the family Beth (Eliza Scanlen).
The movie stays true to the facts of the book. The sisters and their mother Marmee (Laura Dern) live in Massachusetts in genteel poverty. Their rich aunt March (Meryl Streep) helps them out as much as she cares too. Having lost all his family money, their father (Bob Odenkirk) is miles from home involved in the American Civil War. And the family face their first Christmas without him. We see how the girls are growing up without their father and helping their mother make ends meet. Add to the mix their rich neighbor’s good-looking grandson Laurie (Timothee Chalamet) who is in love with Jo and things get exciting. Sisters will be sisters, they fight about everything and then laugh about it. I don’t want to give away too much in case you haven’t read the book in school or seen the many other films that have done this story before. My favorite part of this film is that it also takes a step back and deals with the writer who is writing Little Women and not just living it. That’s an interesting twist that the director decided to take. In this film, Little Women, the photography is good, the acting is spot on, and the direction for this movie is just marvelous. There’s a reason why this film is making everybody’s best of 2019 lists.
I give this film an A+ rating. So, if you’re tired of all the craziness of the holidays then grab your family and buy some tickets to see this film. Enjoy the best version of Little Women on film thus far.
Directed by: Greta Gerwig
Written by: Greta Gerwig Based on the Novel by Louisa May Alcott
Rated PG
Selig Rating A+
Running Time: 2hr 14min
Drama / Romance
Wide Release: December 25th
Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen, Laura Dern, Timothee Chalamet, Tracy Letts, Bob Odenkirk, Meryl Streep
The Selig Rating Scale:
A – Excellent movie, well worth the price.
B – Good movie
C – OK movie
D – No need to rush. Save it for a rainy day.
F – Good that I saw it on the big screen but wish I hadn’t paid for it.
