Little Women: Movie Review

Little Women is a classic book that many have read and loved for ages. Written in 1868 about four sisters moving from childhood to adulthood and how different their lives become, the book, written by Louisa May Alcott, is semi-autobiographical and became a classic read because it wasn’t the “typical” book written for girls at the time. Alcott focused more on who the sisters are and why they are the way they are versus them just becoming wives and mothers.

The book and movie is told from the perspective of Jo, a budding writer, who defies the status quo by refusing to marry and selling stories for publication. Her sister Meg wants to marry and have children which makes Jo upset. Their sister Amy wants to marry rich but is a wonderful artist and struggles with being just a wife to someone. Their younger sister Beth, whom they all love and adore, gets Scarlett fever and never fully recovers. All of these girls want different things from life and almost overnight they have to become women.

Over the years Little Women has been adapted for screens both big and small but what sets this movie apart from the others is the cast. Most of the cast are Academy Award-nominated actors with a history of bringing characters to life.

Jo, played by Saoirse Ronan, is smart, funny and loves her family but doesn’t love the changes that come along with adulthood. She makes friends with Laurie, Timothee Chalamet, and while he starts to fall in love with her Jo refuses to marry him. Her dreams are so much bigger than just getting married. Ronan and Chalamet have great chemistry on camera. You can feel their friendship through the screen. Most will compare it to the 1994 movie starring Winona Ryder and Christian Bale but what that version lacked was the chemistry. You can feel Chalamet falling for Ronan’s Jo and the heartbreak that comes with it.

Another stand out is Florence Pugh, who plays Amy. Amy goes from being a whiny younger sister who never feels included to a wonderful strong-willed woman that won’t marry who she should but marries the one she loves. Pugh made a splash recently in the movie Midsommar and she continues to prove that she is one to watch.

While the story isn’t new this version does make some subtle changes. They are so subtle that you might not even notice them. Directed by Greta Gerwig, who previously worked with Chalamet and Ronan on Lady Bird, brings so much more to the story than others have. She brings more heart and humor to the story than others before her.

If you loved this book as a child then you will love this movie. It has so much of the heart that made the book a classic while adding some very important small changes. Little Women is a story about four young girls but everyone can relate to their struggles. It’s the perfect movie to watch with friends and younger kids.

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