Little Women (2019)

Little Women 

By Emily Hubbard

Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of Little Women sets the gold standard for classic novel retellings

• 4.5/5 Cameras 🎥🎥🎥🎥.5
• Directed by: Greta Gerwig
• Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh, and Timothée Chalamet
• Where to find it: Netflix

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Whenever a film adaptation of a classic novel is announced, there always seems to be a certain sense of doubt surrounding the eventual quality of the finished product. This overwhelming feeling of nervousness is largely due to many on-screen retellings being ultimately disappointing, with previous iterations of Louisa May Alcott’s 1868 novel, Little Women, being no exception. It seems though, that on Hollywood’s 17^th try (yes you heard that right) at adapting the much-beloved story, they finally got it right.

Little Women is at the forefront, and arguably created the blueprint, for coming-of-age stories and tells the tale of the March sisters; Jo (Saoirse Ronan), Amy (Florence Pugh), Meg (Emma Watson), and Beth (Eliza Scanlen). Narratively, the film switches back and forth between the sister’s childhoods and early adulthoods, as Jo reflects on their lives in 19^th Century Massachusetts and tells the story of each of the sister’s attempts to live life on their own terms.

In perhaps one of the riskier moves Hollywood has made in recent years, directorial duties for Little Women were given to relative newcomer Greta Gerwig, although the size of this risk may have been smaller if you regard her previous work on the critically acclaimed Lady Bird. It’s safe to say, however, that this risk paid off, with Gerwig proving that her ability to tell compelling coming-of-age stories is almost unparalleled. Gerwig’s artistic flair turns a story that has been retold countless times, into one that feels modern and refreshing with one shining example of this being a scene involving Amy (Florence Pugh), in which she details how few rights women in her era to a naïve Laurie (Timothée Chalamet). This scene is one of the most captivating in the entire film and was astoundingly written on a scrap piece of paper just minutes before being filmed. In the 53 second scene, Gerwig manages to convey to modern audiences the struggles women of the time faced, whilst also completely changing the way Amy (Florence Pugh) is perceived.

What makes this version of Little Women truly special, however, is the acting talent it exudes. Florence Pugh (Amy) and Saoirse Ronan (Jo) are two of young Hollywood’s most promising talents, and here breathe a new sense of life into already well-loved characters. Ronan’s Jo March, the film’s lead, gives an inspiring performance and carries almost all the scenes she’s in. Fans of Ronan will already be aware of the strong rapport she shares with Timothée Chalamet (Laurie), through their work together on Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird, and here their chemistry is just, if not more, electric. Chalamet and Ronan truly make audiences believe that they are the physical embodiment of Jo and Laurie, respectively, with a scene on a hilltop in which Laurie asks Jo to marry him showcasing the two actors at their finest.

Another standout of Little Women is Florence Pugh, as Amy March, the youngest of the March sisters. For the vast majority of people, this will be their introduction to the powerhouse that is Florence Pugh, and what an introduction it is. Through her depiction in the 1868 novel, and in most other adaptions, Amy March is normally seen as the spoilt, stuck up sister, who is only interested in marrying into money, but in 2019’s adaptation of Little Women, Pugh transforms the character into someone audiences can have empathy for, and more importantly into a likeable character, with her scene’s with Timothée Chalamet’s Laurie often being particularly moving.

It’s not often that a film boasts so many and so exceptionally talented young actors, that the film’s already established actors are almost forgotten. It seems almost unfathomable that screen legends Meryl Streep (Aunt March) and Laura Dern (Marmee March) would be allowed to be washed away in a film, but with Little Women, the sheer amount of talent their young co-stars bring to the table makes it forgivable.

With her adaptation of Little Women, Greta Gerwig has created a rare instant classic, managing to retell the March sister’s story in a way that is not only faithful to the novel and reminds fans of why they fell in love with the characters, but also in a way that welcomes new audiences to these much-beloved sisters by adding some much-needed depth.