In the 2019 adaptation of “Little Women,” director Greta Gerwig proves that the over-150-year-old book of the same name still has relevance today. The film, based on the novel by Louisa May Alcott, follows the love, loss and lives of the March sisters as they grow up: Meg (Emma Watson), Jo (Saoirse Ronan), Beth (Eliza Scanlen) and Amy (Florence Pugh).
The film presents the story of “Little Women” in an accessible way for modern audiences. Gerwig swaps the linear chronology of the novel in favor of sliding back and forth between past and present. She also trims some of the flowery language of the source text for dialogue that feels more natural today. Despite its age, the story is timeless, with the barely-making-it-by March family longing for the wealth and ease of their wealthy neighbors, the Laurences. Regardless of their wealth, the Laurences appreciate the warmth and sense of family the March family exudes.
Each sister has her own aspirations, but the relationship between Jo and her next-door neighbor and friend Laurie (Timothee Chalamet) is at the center of this film. Gerwig here reunites Ronan and Chalamet: stars from her solo directorial debut of “Ladybird” (2017), for which she garnered five Oscar nominations. The two actors are engrossing on screen, and their off-screen friendship is evident in their cinematic chemistry. Ronan ideally embodies the rebellious and strong-willed nature of Jo and Chalamet slips effortlessly into the role of the playful, mischievous best friend Laurie.
The film does modernize the original story in terms of presentation. The characters don’t speak accurately to the era in which they are set and the story is told non-linearly. But this change is beneficial to the narrative and strengthens the film. The film challenges the traditionalism of the era with ruminations of feminism and love. Jo pushes back against the notion of women only having purpose for love and marriage and promotes the intellectual and artistic capabilities of women. By tossing out the prose of the book in favor of modern dialogue, the film retains the essence of the original text while reflecting the modernist update Gerwig gives this story. And by approaching the film non-linearly, the pace is consistent and never feels slow. Gerwig takes her own creative liberties to refresh the original text, like changing the ending from the book to one more in line with the feminist and modernist themes of the film.
Watson and Scanlen both fit their roles quite well; they play them earnestly and encapsulate the heart of these characters. Pugh, coming off of the success of “Midsommar” (2019) and heading into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the upcoming Black Widow solo film, is quickly becoming a hot commodity in Hollywood. As Amy, Pugh delivers a great performance of struggle between aspiration, love and family. In the supporting cast, Laura Dern and Meryl Streep round out the women of the March family as Mother and Aunt, respectively. Streep in particular was hilarious in her small role and in an ideal world would have had more to do here, but nonetheless was a great addition.
In just her second solo outing as a director, Gerwig ups her game and directorial ability. She has now tackled both semi-autobiography and remake-adaptation, as “Little Women” has been filmed successfully many times before. Like the phenomenally successful fourth remake of “A Star is Born” (2018), “Little Women” retells a story that has been adapted numerous times before. Both films are “Oscar-bait,” as historically other iterations have proved to garner critical acclaim and awards. But so far, “Little Women” has come up short for awards, and with a production budget of around $40 million and a narrow demographic, the boost of award nominations and wins will help this film commercially. “Little Women” proves that some stories are worth telling again to a new generation through unique interpretation.
