There is nothing little about Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of the classic Louisa May Alcott novel of the same title.
“Little Women” is packed with so much energy, its impact is more than nostalgia; it’s able to give us a glimpse of both the systemic issues that still plague our society and parallelisms between us and the characters in the movie. Although set in the 1800s, “Little Women” mirrors so many realities that are affecting women, mainly, and basically anyone who is thrusted into a mold that they can’t get out of.
Writer-director Gerwig has made talking about societal issues less sinister and more enlightening through the characters she has enlivened. Each March sister has a distinct personality; everyone nuanced and flawed yet adorable in their own right. There wasn’t much explanation for how each sister thinks, behaves, or speaks the way they do but viewers will get to have a very strong sense of each one’s motivations from how they react to the events unfolding in their tiny world. And when combined with a political backdrop as serious as the Civil War, the story of each sister’s struggle as they navigate their way into the world becomes even more meaningful.
Told in a non-linear fashion, we are introduced into their warm, happy albeit impoverished lives. Here, we are taken back to that feeling of contentment in the most basic things. The dynamics between the girls even while they desire for things they do not have are so effective in both getting the theme’s message across while providing us a solid perspective on where all their future motivations are grounded.
There is so much to love about the movie. For those who’ve seen the previous films and even animated series, the sense of nostalgia is enough to make them love this film. But as aforementioned , it’s more than being taken back to that youthful excitement. The movie was also able to take us to a palpable world where our dreams are still possible and very probable.
Even with the double standards that women face, Jo (Saoirse Ronan) managed to remain defiant and relentless in her dreams. The first shot of the movie where we see her back, with her head down at first and then slowly looks up as she prepares for battle with the editor-in-chief symbolizes the grit she’ll display in the movie.
With that scene as a take-off point, we are propelled to walk alongside Jo as she tries to take ownership of her characters’ destiny in the story (which reflects her desire to take control of her destiny as a woman who is not shackled to a man) which often turns out to be not the way she expected.
At the same time, we are taken along as she navigates her way with her family. In a lot of ways, she projects her frustrations and dreams to her sisters: the way she wants Meg (Emma Watson) to become an actress and not marry because she believes that will make her sister happy, how she orders Amy (Florence Pugh) to stay at home or scolds her for her abrasive behavior, or in the way she dotes over sickly Beth (Eliza Scanlen).
Although we mainly see the story through Jo’s point of view, we are still able to take part in the other characters’ worlds. Even through the many time jumps which transitioned cleverly. I think it’s a testament to Gerwig’s masterful storytelling skills. The indicators of the time jumps were very subtle and there was no confusion at all.
And when you add other beautiful elements like Alexandre Desplat’s music and Jes Gonchor’s remarkable production design to the costume (Jacqueline Durran), the story (along with the characters) blooms right before your eyes. These elements were vital in reinforcing the changes in the time in each of the little women’s journey through life and how their environment evolves as well.
Much can be said about the movie because it brims with so much themes; there are tons of takeaways not only from the story itself but from the character analyses.
It could be summarized into one simple line, though: There’s nothing little about “Little Women.”
Photos courtesy of Columbia Pictures
