LITTLE WOMEN: Greta Gerwig Does It Again

Anytime something is remade or adapted, skepticism is sure to cloud it. In the case of Little Women, Greta Gerwig’s 2019 film is the sixth feature film adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel. Some wondered why Gerwig, a writer-director with such a unique voice, would choose a story that has been done so many times as her follow up to the critically acclaimed Lady Bird (2017). But almost as soon as the film begins, that skepticism disintegrates.

The story revolves around the four March sisters (Jo, Meg, Amy, and Beth) and their experience growing up and finding their identities in the time of the Civil War. Gerwig, with her expert directorial eye and a talented cast reinvent the classic story in a way that feels more relevant than ever.

Structure

If you’re familiar with the book or any of its adaptations, you’ll notice a big difference from the start. The movie opens with an older Jo (Saoirse Ronan) meeting with a publisher (Tracy Letts), establishing that she has moved out of the March house and is finding work as a writer. From here, the movie begins jumping back and forth in time. The non-linear storytelling has never been utilized in Little Women before, and although it takes a little while to settle into it, it works exceedingly well. Gerwig seems aware that the audience most likely knows famous moments in the story, such as Amy burning Jo’s writing or the relationship between Jo and Laurie, and doesn’t bore the audience with huge reveals and unnecessary tension.

The back and forth allows the audience to understand the main characters in a way we never have before. When the girls are in their adolescence, bickering and causing trouble for their mother, Marmee (Laura Dern), it would be easy to label them as irritating or bratty. But those whiny moments are interrupted by their more mature reality. The scenes in the past are lit warmly, signifying a cozy, safe, being, while the present scenes are in much cooler tones, signifying a more melancholy, grounded, being. The messages in Alcott’s novel are still apparent, but Gerwig makes them her own. It becomes less of a coming of age story and more of a story about how a coming of age experience affects someone as they become independent.

This structure works best for one character in particular; Amy, played by Florence Pugh. As a young girl, Amy dreams of being a painter and shows a celebrity crush-like interest in their neighbor Laurie (Timothée Chalamet), though he is focused on Jo. But more than anything, she wants to do what her older sisters are doing. As an adult, Amy travels to Europe with their strict Aunt March (Meryl Streep), now a serious artist and more mature in her handling of Laurie. Pugh’s range is almost unbelievable. Her scenes in the past as the annoying younger sister are so well acted that it seems like she filmed them when she was 13-15 years old, even though she’s actually 23. It is Amy and Jo’s relationship that is the most complex, and it is Pugh’s evolution of behavior that makes it so.

The Ensemble

While Pugh is the movie’s standout, Little Women can’t succeed without a strong lead in Jo March, a role which has been played by actresses such as Katharine Hepburn, June Allyson, and Winona Ryder. With three Academy Award nominations under her belt at age 25, Ronan doesn’t need to prove to anyone that she’s talented. From her fiery independence to her vulnerability in a monologue to Marmee, her portrayal of Jo is beautifully layered. Emma Watson as the responsible, eldest sister Meg and Eliza Scanlen as the youngest sister, Beth, both stand out in specific scenes, as well. The four actresses together do what Little Women has always done, showing the unique and complicated relationship that only sisters understand.

The supporting characters in the March sisters’ lives help flesh out their world. Dern’s role as the loving Marmee is not as showy, but just as good as her buzzed about performance in Marriage Story. Her quiet strength as she raises her daughters with her husband at war and helps those in need is clearly the basis for her daughters’ distinctive personalities and their good nature. Chalamet channels a much less malicious version of Kyle from Lady Bird for Laurie, who is both sweet and infuriating. Chris Cooper plays Laurie’s grandfather and guardian. He doesn’t have many scenes, but his support of Beth’s musical talents is very endearing.

To say Streep stands out in her few scenes would be obvious. She is Meryl Streep, after all. Were she to be in any more than she was would have detracted from the younger actors, but Gerwig utilizes her just enough. Other supporting actors such as Letts, Bob Odenkirk, James Norton, and Louis Garrel do a good job in their minimal roles. It is a shame that Little Women was completely shut out of the SAG Awards, because this ensemble is just as worthy as any.

Making A Story Her Own

While the story of Little Women is inherently Alcott’s, the movie is Gerwig’s. Little Women has always been ahead of its time, and Gerwig’s version only escalates the relatability. Although the hurdles the March sisters have to face are very much of the late 1800s, it is easy to see yourself in them. Amy strives for perfection, Meg struggles with her financial status, Beth is too modest about her talent, and Jo finds her ambition at odds with what is expected of young women. Lady Bird and Jo March are actually oddly similar characters, which shows that Gerwig is very attached to this story and cares about telling it right.

The exploration of gender roles and pressures put upon women is a major part of Little Women and is executed well to fit in with the modern day. Jo’s bold attitude was shocking for the time in which she lived. Today, it is much less shocking, but not irrelevant. The spirit of Jo can be found in women like Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Greta Thunberg, and even in modern day characters like Rey in the Star Wars sequel trilogy. Gerwig also makes sure to emphasize that women’s strength can be present in many ways. Meg chooses to lead a “traditional” life, which includes getting married and having children. Jo believes she should run away from it, to which Meg says, “Just because my dreams are different than yours, it doesn’t mean they’re unimportant.”

Little Women: Conclusion

There have been reports recently that male critics and male awards voters have refused to give this movie a chance because they don’t think it is “made for them,” which is interesting because this attitude doesn’t go the other way. Women haven’t shunned The Irishman simply because it is a male centric story. Perhaps this explains Little Women’s number of nominations at the Golden Globe’s (2) and the SAG Awards (0). This is extremely upsetting, both for the social implications and the fact that this movie is more than deserving. From Gerwig’s directing, to Yorick Le Saux’s cinematography, to the performances, to the score by Alexandre Desplat, this is one of the best movies of the year. It is a feel good movie for the whole family, especially sisters.

What did you think of Little Women? Let us know in the comments!

Little Women was released in the US on December 25, 2019.