Little Women (2019)

'Little Women' was not a story I knew, I mean beyond some basics, New England, 4 March sisters, father's off serving in the Civil War. Having now seen this I can appreciate why it is considered a classic, and why people keep returning to it, why it keeps being remade as a film. This new version is Greta Gerwig's follow up project to the movie that made her a name director, the Oscar nominated 'Lady Bird' from 2017. Gerwig plays with the story structure some, I understand the novel is very lineal, here you toggle back and forth between two story periods, one during the civil war and one several years after, it took me a little bit to catch on to when the switches were happening, but you can mostly tell by way of context, peoples haircuts ect. Some would call Gerwig's a feminist take, but if you have a problem with that term don't let it throw you, I think most would agree that women's options were rather unfairly limited in the mid 19th Century America, that is the principle social critique in film.

This movie is really enjoyable, it can win you over, the man sitting next to me in the theater clearly did not chose this film, his wife did, but by the end he seemed to be into it. If I had to sum up a description of the film in one word I'd say "warm". The source material, Louisa May Alcott's novel is over 150 years old but this felt fresh, and refreshing un-cynical, though with some knowing contemporary touches. The movie is very well cast, good supporting roles for the likes of Chris Cooper and Meryl Streep. Laura Dern plays the mom, Timothee Chalamet the principle love interest. Though this is based on a classically American novel none of the four "little women" are American, instead portrayed by two English women (Emma Watson and Florence Pugh), an Irishwoman (Saoirse Ronan as the lead character, Jo) and an Australian (Eliza Scanlen, the only principle performer in the film whose work I was not previously familiar with). Everybody does an excellent job, this cast really clicks.

 I don't want to focus much on details of the plot because I really enjoyed going into things with a minimal knowledge of what was going to happen, suffice it to say its about the trails of growing up and young adult hood, a period piece yes but also universal. I understand Gerwig (who adapted as well as directed this piece) did several fairly significant changes to the original text, and I find now to my surprise I kind of want to read this book, this book written for 19th century girls. Surprisingly affecting, one of the real film going pleasures of this year. I can highly recommend, even if you don't think this is going to be your kind of thing you may be surprised. ****