Monday Movie Review: Little Women
If you were a reader as a child as I was, you probably read Little Women. If you came of age in the 90’s as I did, you probably watched the Winona Ryder version of Little Women on repeat. I did both of those things, and as such, was hesitant but optimistic about the new version, written and directed by Greta Gerwig (of Lady Bird fame).
If you aren’t familiar with the story, Little Women is about the four March sisters: Meg (Emma Watson), Jo (Saoirse Ronan), Beth (Eliza Scanlen), and Amy (Florence Pugh). Jo is the main character and she’s everything a woman isn’t supposed to be in the late 1800’s-independent, career-driven, and outspoken. She’s a writer and she and her sisters constantly put on plays and productions in their attic. For the first half of the story, their father is off fighting the war and the family struggles to make ends meet, though that doesn’t stop them from being charitable to their neighbors. Their rich neighbor Mr. Lawrence and his nephew, who goes by Laurie, bestow Christmas gifts on the family after seeing them give up their breakfast to feed a poor family, and thus begins Laurie’s friendship with the girls, Jo in particular. Throughout their adolescence, the girls fight as sisters do, Jo and Amy typically butting heads the most. Jo eventually moves to New York to try to become a writer. Meg gets married and has two children. Amy travels to Paris with their rich aunt and ends up spending time with Laurie, during which time the two fall in love (even though Laurie previously proposed to and was turned down by Jo). Some other stuff happens (no spoilers, even though it’s been literally more than a hundred years) and in the end, Jo ends up writing the story of the sisters and having her book published.
One thing I will say from the beginning is if you are not familiar with the story, I could see how this film version would be hard to follow. The timeline jumps around and given there is not a huge span of years being covered, everyone looks pretty much the same in both the “past” and the “present”. So if you don’t know what’s happening, I imagine it could be hard to follow. I did know what was happening, so I loved it. I actually thought the dual timelines lent just the right amount of a new perspective to make this remake worthwhile. Otherwise, it would have been too similar to the 90’s version.
I obviously hugely identify with Jo, given the whole writer bit, so I’ve always been into the story because of her. The final scene of the film is Jo watching her book being printed and put together and I cried my damn eyes out. I mean, I basically cried for fifty percent of the film. It’s a beautifully told story that despite being hundreds of years old, is still scary relevant to today’s world. In one scene, the girls’ mother (Laura Dern) says “I am angry nearly every day of my life.” Yet she always appears happy and unruffled because that’s what moms do. That’s what women do. We watch our rights be trampled on, and we suffer, and we’re ANGRY, but we also have to hold it together, for our kids, our partners, ourselves. It’s powerful (and sad and scary) that their struggles are so identifiable so many years later, but you can’t tell me women don’t feel that (same thing when Jo laments not wanting to be seen as just a wife and mother, but also expresses her loneliness).
I loved every second of watching this movie. I thought it was brilliantly written, directed, and performed (not to mention the gorgeous costumes and scenery, cinematography and all that jazz). I was hesitant, but pleasantly surprised.
Overall Grade: A
