Hi, it’s Laura. I went to see Little Women (2019) and here are my thoughts:
Little Women (2019) was written and directed by Greta Gerwig and stars Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh and Laura Dern. Based on the novel by Louisa May Alcott, it tells the story of Meg, Amy, Beth and Jo. Four sisters navigating life and love in the aftermath of the American civil war and all the antics they get up to.
Cineworld was spoiling its members this December and offered several unlimited screenings one of which was Little Women (2019) . I was incredibly excited to see this film and had planned to see it on the day of its release with my mum but when we saw the unlimited screening, we couldn’t book tickets fast enough and we were not disappointed.
I love the book and I have always related very strongly to the character of Jo March. So, seeing another adaption of this made me very happy and I have to say this is my favourite version. It is perfect in every sense of the word. The look of the film is gorgeous, every frame looks like a dream and it is a world I instantly wanted to be immersed in. From the rolling fields; to the town; to the March House, every location is beautiful and transports you to another time. With a golden hue over the good times and a slightly duller mist over the bad, the cinematography is mesmerising.
The performances elevate this film to a whole other level. This is an ensemble cast of the highest calibre. Everyone is so talented and captures the essence of their characters so well. The clear standouts here, however, are Saoirse Ronan as Jo March and Florence Pugh as Amy March. The two sisters who are arguably the most driven and determined to achieve their goals are constantly clashing and both Ronan and Pugh make it incredibly realistic. Saoirse Ronan creates a Jo that you can’t help but love. She’s driven, determined and stubborn (sometimes to her own detriment) but at her heart, she loves her family and will do anything to keep them safe and happy. Amy March is much the same and I have to admit a character I have always despised. There are some things that she does that will shock you. Pugh, however, manages to create an Amy that you will feel sorry for as she has always been second best to Jo and you can understand her motives. I also have to mention Meryl Streep as the formidable Aunt March. She is perfect as the rich and disapproving Aunt that also has an opinion on what the girls are doing.
The performances elevate this film to a whole other level. This is an ensemble cast of the highest calibre. Everyone is so talented and captures the essence of their characters so well. The clear standouts here, however, are Saoirse Ronan as Jo March and Florence Pugh as Amy March. The two sisters who are arguably the most driven and determined to achieve their goals are constantly clashing and both Ronan and Pugh make it incredibly realistic. Saoirse Ronan creates a Jo that you can’t help but love. She’s driven, determined and stubborn (sometimes to her own detriment) but at her heart she loves her family and will do anything to keep them safe and happy. Amy March is much the same and I have to admit a character I have always despised. There are some things that she does that will shock you. Pugh, however, manages to create an Amy that you will feel sorry for as she has always been second best to Jo and you can understand her motives. I also have to mention Meryl Streep as the formidable Aunt March. She is perfect as the rich and disapproving Aunt that also has an opinion on what the girls are doing.
One of the big positives of this film is that under the direction of Gerwig, this feels like a real family. They fight, they go through hard ship and all change as individuals but ultimately, they love each other and would do anything for the others. The sisters feel like sisters and it’s just wonderful.
This film, honestly is amazing and with a U rating I think would be perfect for families over the festive season (the general releases here in the UK is the 26th of December). My only complaint and that would be if I was being incredibly picky is that Emma Watson, although a very good Meg March, cannot hold her American accent very well at all and there are times when it slips back to her native English accent and it is incredibly noticeable and may take you out of the film for a second. This is only made worse by the fact that none of the women who play the March sisters are American. Ronan is Irish, Pugh is English like Watson and Eliza Scanlen who plays the timid but wonderful Beth is Australian but all manage to pull of incredibly convincing accents. It isn’t a massive problem and all the films positives completely outweigh the fact but it is worth mentioning.
Overall, I would give Little Women 10/10. It is beautiful, emotional and a perfect portrait of a much-loved classic. No film in a long time has felt like this is, it is truly incredible and will transport you to post civil war America in the most charming of ways.
And that’s my thought on Little Women (2019). Thank you for reading it and I hope it gives you an insight into the film and that you will consider going to see it. Have a lovely day and I’ll see you next time. If you would like to keep up with the latest reviews and insights on Film talk then head over to the official Facebook page, I’ll leave the link below. Thanks again for reading.
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