‘Little Women’ Review: A Timeless Story Told Brilliantly

There have been eight film adaptations of C’s 1868 novel Little Women and while I haven’t seen all of them, Greta Gerwig’s most recent adaptation is not only my favorite out of the handful I have seen, it’s one of my favorite films of 2019, period. A coming-of-age drama about the lives of the March sisters, Little Women tells a wonderful story with absolutely fantastic performances, making it an absolutely must-see this Christmas.

Sisters Jo (Saoirse Ronan), Meg (Emma Watson), Amy (Florence Pugh), and Beth (Eliza Scanlen) all grew up together very close in their cozy house in New England. As they start to grow older and more independent, however, their lives begin to take them in different directors. They’re all wonderfully talented; Jo writes, Meg acts, Amy paints, and Beth plays the piano. And yet they’re all not exactly destined to fully embrace those talents in their adult lives. Little Women tells each of their stories, both on an individual level and as part of the whole family.

At the heart of Little Women is its performances, and every single actor embodies their character so perfectly and truthfully. You believe that Saoirse Ronan is Jo and that Florence Pugh is Amy because their stories and personalities feel so real. They’re so much more than one-dimensional characters, too. Florence Pugh is especially brilliant because there were times I hated Amy with a fiery passion but the next moment she’d do something that would totally redeem herself in my heart. Everyone is like this; everyone has their own arc.

The film does take a second to adjust to its branching storylines. The film often jumps between the past, present and future, and with so many characters to follow, it can be somewhat confusing, especially towards the beginning. The entire thing is a story within a story as Jo is trying to sell her family’s story to a book publisher. Little Women is those pages being brought into life and detail.

Little Women may be a period piece but its story remains timeless. It’s about family and friendships and of love and loss. There are no big action scenes or shocking plot twists; it’s as intimate as films come so be prepared to be captivated by the March sisters and their stories. Greta Gerwig once again knocks it out of the park following 2017’s Lady Bird and delivers one of the best films of the year with Little Women. Who knows how many more adaptations of Louisa May Alcott’s novel we may get in the future, but Gerwig’s version will remain in the forefront for me.