Review: Little Women is beautiful, emotional, and utterly charming

Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of the literary classic Little Women is a heartfelt film that captures the unbreakable bond between sisters, thanks to deft direction and engrossing performances.

As far as literary adaptations go, Little Women might be one of the most frequently adapted novels of all time. With 22 incarnations ranging from silent films to operas, its enduring appeal is thanks in major part to the flawed, relatable protagonists and the bond they all share. Although many directors have tried (with varying degrees of success) to make a work that truly captures the essence of Louisa May Alcott’s novel, Gerwig’s 2019 film somehow manages to do the original justice while also being infused with its own unique spirit.

For those unfamiliar with the novel, Little Women follows the stories of four young sisters living in Civil War-era Massachusetts as they navigate their relationships with each other, the men in their lives, and their coming of age. Meg (Emma Watson) is the eldest, followed by Jo (Saoirse Ronan), Amy (Florence Pugh), and the youngest Beth (Eliza Scanlen). Also with them along the way is their mother Marmee (Laura Dern), their elderly Aunt March (Meryl Streep), and both Amy and Jo’s love interest, Laurie (Timothee Chalamet).

While Gerwig herself didn’t pen the film’s story, she makes it entirely her own through the utilization of time skips and flashbacks. The story is told anachronistically, which allows the film to jump between storylines and characters, therefore maximizing potential to create parallels that resonate with the viewer and brim with emotions. Gerwig also had the unenviable job of deciding which parts of the book to include and which to leave out, and although it seems heinous to leave out any aspect of Alcott’s novel, Gerwig’s story never drops pace. The entire film is excruciatingly crafted to inflict maximum emotional damage while also remaining fast paced and engaging.

Although much of the film’s success can be attributed to Gerwig, it’s the pitch-perfect cast that makes Little Women one of the year’s best films. Leading the pack is Saorise Ronan as Jo, a spirited young woman with a passion for writing and a reluctance to marry. As Jo, Ronan is incredibly believable — from the opening shot of the film, the audience is able to fall into her shoes and watch as she struggles to find success in a world where women are scorned when attempting to break from the norm — Ronan is incredibly easy to root for. Her incarnation of Jo is incredibly passionate in everything that she does, even if it means falling on her face.

That being said, while the film (and the novel) spends the most time with Jo, Florence Pugh as Amy is difficult to ignore and even more impossible to dislike. Amy is Jo’s younger sister, a talented artist and a certified drama queen with a taste for the finer things in life. Both Jo and Amy are shown as possible love interests for their dreamy neighbor (we’ll get to him in a bit), and traditionally, the audience is made to side with Jo. However, Pugh practically bleeds charm. Amy may be in the wrong more than once, but she is so sincere and well meaning that it’s difficult to hold it against her. She is also the sister that goes through the most drastic change over the course of the film, and Pugh excels in navigating the change from boy-crazy school girl to heartsick young woman.

Rounding out the foursome are Emma Watson as Meg and Eliza Scanlen as Beth. Meg is the eldest sister and a more traditional “girly girl” who falls for Laurie’s tutor. In the film’s she’s the least interesting of the sisters (not by fault of Watson, merely due to the fact that the other three are just stellar), but there’s still more than enough depth to her character to make her engaging while onscreen. Last but certainly not least is Scanlen as the baby sister Beth, a shy young girl with a massive heart who is stricken with Scarlet Fever. Scanlen could not be a more perfect casting choice. She brings just the right amount of wide-eyed innocence and shyness to the youngest of the March clan, so that when she meets her untimely demise, it’s a devastating blow to both the audience and the characters.

Laura Dern and Meryl Streep are both sparse but strong in their roles as two of the family’s matriarchs, as is Bob Odenkirk, who makes a few brief appearances as Mr. March. All of that being said, the undeniable scene-stealer of the film is Timothée Chalamet as Laurie, the wealthy young man who lives next door to the March sisters. Although he has a continued connection with Jo, Laurie ends up marrying Amy, and as a viewer, you’re incredibly conflicted, thanks to all three actor’s abilities to make you want to take their side. As Laurie, Chalamet is both infuriating and charming; he’s so easygoing that it’s difficult not to want to fall in love with him along with the March girls.

It’s almost baffling how beautifully every element of Little Women works in perfect harmony; the sweeping cinematography, the playful score, and the gorgeous costumes all help to draw the viewer further into the world that Alcott created and Gerwig brought to the big screen. While it may seem impossible to so incredibly emulate such a staple of American literature, Greta Gerwig’s incarnation of Little Women is as close to a film can get to being a perfect adaptation.

Little Women is playing in theaters now.