Little Women is a 2019 American coming-of-age period drama film written and directed by Greta Gerwig. It is the seventh film adaptation of the 1868 novel of the same name by Louisa May Alcott. The film was rated a 7.8/10 on IMDb and a 95% on Rotten Tomatoes. It chronicles the lives of the March sisters: Jo; Meg; Amy and Beth. It stars a cast featuring Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen, Laura Dern, Timothee Chalamet, and Meryl Streep. It is loosely based on the lives of Alcott and her three sisters, making scholars classify the original novel as an autobiography or semi-autobiographical novel.
Jo March (Saoirse Ronan) reflects back and forth on her life, telling the beloved story of the March sisters – four young women, each determined to live life on her own terms. We are introduced to Jo, who is a teacher in NYC but determined to make her living as a writer. While her sister Amy (Florence Pugh) studies painting in Paris. Amy has a chance encounter with Laurie (Timothee Chalamet) – a childhood crush who proposed to Jo but was ultimately rejected. Their oldest sibling, Meg (Emma Watson), is married to a schoolteacher, while shy sister Beth (Eliza Scanlen) develops a devastating illness that brings the family back together.
The film starts in New York City in 1868, Jo March is seen visiting editor Mr. Dashwood who agrees to publish a story she has written. Meanwhile, in Paris, her younger sister Amy, who is staying with their Aunt March, attends a party with Laurie – the childhood friend and neighbour but later is angered by his drunken behaviour. In NYC, Jo gets upset when Friedrich Bhaer, a professor who is head over heels for her, constantly criticizes her writing causing her to end their friendship. After receiving a letter informing her of Beth’s aggravating illness, Jo returns home to Concord.
The film continues going back and forth in time, events being very realistic between the interactions of the sisters and other characters. There is a use of much emotion that makes this a drama, such as jealousy, sadness, and joy and I feel as though you really develop a familiarity with the characters throughout the film. I particularly enjoyed this film as it felt like something I could relate to having three sisters and knowing Alcott wrote this loosely based on the lives of her and her three sisters is what put this film on a more realistic level for me. Watching the March sisters grow into womanhood while they went through many ups and downs in life and underwent important decisions that could’ve affected their future was a thrilling experience.
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