In director Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel, Jo March (Saoirse Ronan, Hanna) reflects on her life, with events shown in both the past and present. It tells, of course, the story of the March sisters–four very determined young women who want to make their own way in the world. The remaining girls are Meg (Emma Watson, Harry Potter), Amy (Florence Pugh, Midsommar), and Beth (Eliza Scanlen, Sharp Objects). Bob Odenkirk (Breaking Bad) plays Father March, and Laura Dern (Marriage Story) is Marmee March, while Meryl Streep (The Devil Wears Prada) plays Aunt March.
This film does an excellent job of exploring themes of love and loss, running the full emotional range. It flashes back and forth over the March sisters’ lives, effectively establishing the individual characters very well. Whether we are watching them attend balls, fall in love, or cope with tragedy in the family, this latest adaptation is completely engrossing from start to finish, from a story perspective, and extremely well-acted.
This is one of the rare films in this genre that is feminist without being preachy. Little Women conveys its messages wonderfully on that front, and anyone concerned about it coming across the wrong way (as this reviewer was at the sight of the trailer) can go into this movie at ease. Sure, some of the characters—especially Jo—may seem initially apprehensive and even stubborn at the prospect of marriage, but this film is far from anti-marriage.
If there is room for improvement here, it is the timeline. The flashbacks and flash-forwards to present day can be confusing, especially because so many of them look similar and there is little to distinguish one from the next. This wouldn’t be as big of an issue if the film didn’t rely on them so heavily as a means to follow the characters and the story. In the grand scheme, though, it’s more of a caveat because the story is ultimately so well-told.
This is not only a fantastic period piece, but a well-acted and beautiful drama that tells a thoroughly engrossing story. Even if it’s a bit hard to keep track of the timeline of events, it’s a celebration of love, life, and also deals appropriately with grief in all the proper ways. For all these reasons, Little Women is one of the best films of the year.
★★★1/2 out of four
Rated PG; 135 minutes.
THE REEL REVIEWER WITH JOSHUA KROEGER 