‘Little Women’ exceeds all expectations
Simultaneously one of the greatest and most honest love stories ever told, Little Women is a beautiful account of the journey of four spectacularly beautiful, wild and different women. Greta Gerwig’s most recent remake of the story, which hit theaters on Christmas, has managed to empower each character whose story it tells.
Written by Louisa May Alcott in 1869, Little Women is set in post-Civil War Massachusetts, in the home of a mother, Marmee (Laura Dern), and her four daughters, Meg (Emma Watson), Jo (Saoirse Ronan), Beth (Eliza Scanlen) and Amy (Florence Pugh). With their father caught in the aftermath of war, the family struggles economically. Yet, the love and light shared among the daughters uplifts the family in a difficult time.
Gerwig’s Oscar-nominated rendition is one of many. The most notable others were made in 1933 with Katharine Hepburn as Jo, and with Winona Ryder as Jo in 1994. But where Hepburn and Ryder walked, I felt that Saoirse Ronan flew.
Saorsie portrays Jo with a wild and joyful energy, a sense of abandon and immense maturity. Jo’s relationship with Laurie (Timothy Chalamée) is so playful at times and heartbreaking at others. Scenes in which the duo dances together at a ritzy party and when Laurie confesses his love will stick with me forever.
The mother-daughter relationship created by Ronan and Dern also does a great job of revealing both characters’ inner values and emotions — their tangible anger and passion.
Probably the most striking aspect of the movie is the growth of Amy. Pugh so skillfully portrays this character, paying attention to her development from a jealous baby sister to a wise and self-assured woman, conscious of the realities of life. As she grows older, she pursues her passion for art and tries to find a wealthy husband, which she recognizes as the singular means of survival for a woman.
Meryl Streep’s portrayal of Aunt March is equally stunning, as she brings life to a character with hilarious attitude and a great deal of power.
While the time frame of the movie was confusing at times, as it switched back and forth between the girls’ youth and adulthood, it also kept me engaged. The only character who left me slightly less content was the father, played by Bob Odenkirk. He is only shown on screen for a brief period of time, without much character development.
Through tear-filled eyes, I watched the credits roll, reflecting on a movie that blew my expectations away.
Little Women is a renowned classic of American literature, and while it is relevant and impactful for an audience of all ages and genders, it absolutely is especially a must-see for women. Gerwig’s film is the first to truly capture that, by including each character’s struggle with their own femininity and the gender roles they are expected to fill.
While other versions of the film also try to capture Jo’s story of empowerment and growth, Gerwig perhaps tells the story best. She also details Aunt March’s choice to never marry to preserve her wealth, Marmee’s embodiment of motherhood and generosity, Amy’s recognition of the economic necessity of marriage for women and, of course, Jo’s search to be independent and free while still seeking to love and be loved.
Simply put, Gerwig tells the story of women, their dynamic and fiery relationships and their capacities — as Jo calls them — to look beyond the heart and into the soul and mind.
Little Women is showing at Regal Santa Fe Stadium 14 and the Violet Crown. The runtime is 2 hours and 15 minutes.