Little Women (A or 3.5/4 stars)
Writer/director Greta Gerwig has captured the essence of Louisa May Alcott's 'Little Women' while making it her own in the process and employing an interesting narrative structure which switches repeatedly btwn. the years of 1861-1871. There have been many versions before this one (1933, starring Katherine Hepburn; 1949, starring June Allyson, Elizabeth Taylor & Janet Leigh; 1994, starring Winona Ryder, Susan Sarandon, Claire Daines & Kirsten Dunst; among others), and Gerwig's version focuses on the March sisters making their own choices & living their best life whether they have $$ or not.
Before we get to a standard introductory scene of our characters in rural Massachusetts, 'Little Women' actually opens in 1868, late in the story {the chronological structure goes back-&-forth btwn. timelines}, where impassioned writer Jo (Saoirse Ronan) is trying to sell her 1st story to chauvinistic NYC newspaper editor, Mr. Dashwood (Tracy Letts). The editor wryly advises her that if the hero of her tale is to be female, "make sure she's married by the end. Or dead. Either way".
Now we jump back to 1861. With their father (Bob Odenkirk) off fighting for the Union Army in the Civil War, it's up to kindhearted 'Marmee' (Laura Dern) to take care of her struggling household. Jo - who we met in the opening scene - is the dominant teen sister & tomboy who rejects traditional views on how she is supposed to behave. The eldest sister, Meg (Emma Watson), is lovely, responsible & conventional. Amy (Florence Pugh, ubiquitous this year), longs to paint, travel and, while she is peevish as a teenager, advances during course of the story into being a level-headed realist. And Beth (Eliza Scanlen) enjoys playing the piano; something that rich neighbor, James Laurence (Chris Cooper) adores, seeing as his deceased daughter also loved the instrument. Mr. Laurence's charming, but spoiled grandson, Laurie (Timothee Chalamet), becomes smitten with Jo early on, while his tutor, John Brooke (James Norton), has taken a liking to the lovely Meg.
This concerns Jo's judgmental, ornery, very rich Aunt March (Meryl Streep), who believes that marrying 'well' is imperative and, that it is impossible for any woman to make an honest living for & by herself. To that, she is disappointed that Meg ultimately weds poor John Brooke. And unfortunately for Meg, she realizes over the years that not having $$ can lead to problems; of which her aunt had so prophesied. Meanwhile - also some yrs. later - after having turned down Laurie's proposal of marriage - Jo still struggles as a writer in NYC, where she also refuses the advances of her professor friend, Friedrich Bhaer (Louis Garrell); much like she did with Laurie yrs. before. Laurie moved on, went to Europe and, now in this time frame of the story, has set his sights on Amy, who has been staying with Aunt March in Paris, unaware that younger sister Beth has taken ill back home. Though there is much merriment in the proceedings, drama ensues.
Though 'Little Women' is a beloved "classic" about sisterhood, Greta Gerwig's handsomely-mounted version feels fresh & timely for modern audiences {even the sisterly quarrels feel modern, urgent & messy, like real life}. Though it takes a few minutes to realize what Gerwig is doing with the non-linear timelines, her narrative maneuvering/flashback structure pays off enormously resulting in a vibrant, smart & emotionally resonant take on this well-worn source material -- the emotional investment is heightened because of it. Because of this technique, I became fully invested in the characters early on; allowing the past to seep in the present as we experience their joys, grief & inner-lives. The characterizations are so rich, here. Jo has never been so physical & frustrated; Meg, so maternal; Amy has never been so tempestuous; and the sister rivalry btwn. Jo & Amy has never so this unsettled. They love each other, but the tension is high.
Saoirse Ronan nails Jo's headstrong nature contrasting with her love for her family, and in the later timeline shows how Jo's literary dreams are essentially life & death for her. i.e., when she tearfully tells Marmee that she doesn't want to be lonely anymore. Ronan is exceptional; carefully modulating her emotions, opinions & strong-willed nature to every situation she's placed in. Florence Pugh is also incredible in the tricky role; creating a sometimes funny, sometimes petulant, very determined woman who struggles with feeling inferior to Jo. Their sisterly relationship is the most complex in the film. And Pugh is able to make even her most selfish impulses sympathetic & human. Her best scene {among many} is when she's telling Laurie that - "love" aside - marriage is still an economic consideration for women.
Laura Dern is wonderful as the warm, wise, ever-loving Marmee. Dern's hammy, b*tchy turn in this yr.'s Marriage Story is fun, but I preferred her subtle, compassionate performance, here. The way she intuitively balances how to react to each daughter even while in the midst of conflict is great. Emma Watson is an endearing Meg. Eliza Scanlen - completely different from her diabolical role in Sharp Objects - is a beacon of light & innocence as sweet Beth. Chris Cooper's sensitive portrayal of Mr. Laurence can bring a tear to one's eye; I'm thinking of him at the bottom of a staircase while listening to Beth play his piano. And Timothee Chalamet is mesmerizing to watch as the romantic, but self-destructive playboy, Laurie. Whether he has roped you in with his natural line deliveries or some spontaneous physical agility {reminding me of James Dean} in his portrayal, he lends greatly to the proceedings.
This film is sumptuously designed by Jess Gonchor with a festive Currier & Ives Christmas vibe -- love that. Jacqueline Durran's glorious, character-driven period costuming is a stand-out. Alexandre Desplat's music score is transportive, lilting, & memorably elegant. But Yorick Le Saux's artful cinematography impressed me most of all. It is gorgeous, but also incredible at situating the audience during the alternating timeline shifts. The early years are shot with a painterly glow {deep reds, yellows & greens}, whereas muted blues & grays signal the end-of-innocence later years. Another highlight of the photography occurs in 2 overlapping sequences where a concerned Jo descends a staircase to receive sharply different sets of news.
Thanks to Greta Gerwig's thoughtful vision, this 'Little Women' could become a classic for a new generation. The juxtaposition of how she chose to show the timelines of this story are essential to understanding the character's motivations. And additionally, because the sisters are kept apart for much of the last part of the novel, the flashbacks invite us to see them all together late in the proceedings. With so much resting on the success or failure of works of art, Gerwig uses a 19th century period piece to have something modernist to say about the anxiety-ridden relationship btwn. a woman & her work {Gerwig/becoming a great director - and - Louisa May Alcott/Jo proving themselves as female authors of distinction}. And even if you leave thematic heft out of it, her 'Little Women' can be enjoyed as a poignant, hopeful, exquisite movie to experience in any case. This is one of the best films of 2019.
Before we get to a standard introductory scene of our characters in rural Massachusetts, 'Little Women' actually opens in 1868, late in the story {the chronological structure goes back-&-forth btwn. timelines}, where impassioned writer Jo (Saoirse Ronan) is trying to sell her 1st story to chauvinistic NYC newspaper editor, Mr. Dashwood (Tracy Letts). The editor wryly advises her that if the hero of her tale is to be female, "make sure she's married by the end. Or dead. Either way".
Now we jump back to 1861. With their father (Bob Odenkirk) off fighting for the Union Army in the Civil War, it's up to kindhearted 'Marmee' (Laura Dern) to take care of her struggling household. Jo - who we met in the opening scene - is the dominant teen sister & tomboy who rejects traditional views on how she is supposed to behave. The eldest sister, Meg (Emma Watson), is lovely, responsible & conventional. Amy (Florence Pugh, ubiquitous this year), longs to paint, travel and, while she is peevish as a teenager, advances during course of the story into being a level-headed realist. And Beth (Eliza Scanlen) enjoys playing the piano; something that rich neighbor, James Laurence (Chris Cooper) adores, seeing as his deceased daughter also loved the instrument. Mr. Laurence's charming, but spoiled grandson, Laurie (Timothee Chalamet), becomes smitten with Jo early on, while his tutor, John Brooke (James Norton), has taken a liking to the lovely Meg.
This concerns Jo's judgmental, ornery, very rich Aunt March (Meryl Streep), who believes that marrying 'well' is imperative and, that it is impossible for any woman to make an honest living for & by herself. To that, she is disappointed that Meg ultimately weds poor John Brooke. And unfortunately for Meg, she realizes over the years that not having $$ can lead to problems; of which her aunt had so prophesied. Meanwhile - also some yrs. later - after having turned down Laurie's proposal of marriage - Jo still struggles as a writer in NYC, where she also refuses the advances of her professor friend, Friedrich Bhaer (Louis Garrell); much like she did with Laurie yrs. before. Laurie moved on, went to Europe and, now in this time frame of the story, has set his sights on Amy, who has been staying with Aunt March in Paris, unaware that younger sister Beth has taken ill back home. Though there is much merriment in the proceedings, drama ensues.
Though 'Little Women' is a beloved "classic" about sisterhood, Greta Gerwig's handsomely-mounted version feels fresh & timely for modern audiences {even the sisterly quarrels feel modern, urgent & messy, like real life}. Though it takes a few minutes to realize what Gerwig is doing with the non-linear timelines, her narrative maneuvering/flashback structure pays off enormously resulting in a vibrant, smart & emotionally resonant take on this well-worn source material -- the emotional investment is heightened because of it. Because of this technique, I became fully invested in the characters early on; allowing the past to seep in the present as we experience their joys, grief & inner-lives. The characterizations are so rich, here. Jo has never been so physical & frustrated; Meg, so maternal; Amy has never been so tempestuous; and the sister rivalry btwn. Jo & Amy has never so this unsettled. They love each other, but the tension is high.
Saoirse Ronan nails Jo's headstrong nature contrasting with her love for her family, and in the later timeline shows how Jo's literary dreams are essentially life & death for her. i.e., when she tearfully tells Marmee that she doesn't want to be lonely anymore. Ronan is exceptional; carefully modulating her emotions, opinions & strong-willed nature to every situation she's placed in. Florence Pugh is also incredible in the tricky role; creating a sometimes funny, sometimes petulant, very determined woman who struggles with feeling inferior to Jo. Their sisterly relationship is the most complex in the film. And Pugh is able to make even her most selfish impulses sympathetic & human. Her best scene {among many} is when she's telling Laurie that - "love" aside - marriage is still an economic consideration for women.
Laura Dern is wonderful as the warm, wise, ever-loving Marmee. Dern's hammy, b*tchy turn in this yr.'s Marriage Story is fun, but I preferred her subtle, compassionate performance, here. The way she intuitively balances how to react to each daughter even while in the midst of conflict is great. Emma Watson is an endearing Meg. Eliza Scanlen - completely different from her diabolical role in Sharp Objects - is a beacon of light & innocence as sweet Beth. Chris Cooper's sensitive portrayal of Mr. Laurence can bring a tear to one's eye; I'm thinking of him at the bottom of a staircase while listening to Beth play his piano. And Timothee Chalamet is mesmerizing to watch as the romantic, but self-destructive playboy, Laurie. Whether he has roped you in with his natural line deliveries or some spontaneous physical agility {reminding me of James Dean} in his portrayal, he lends greatly to the proceedings.
This film is sumptuously designed by Jess Gonchor with a festive Currier & Ives Christmas vibe -- love that. Jacqueline Durran's glorious, character-driven period costuming is a stand-out. Alexandre Desplat's music score is transportive, lilting, & memorably elegant. But Yorick Le Saux's artful cinematography impressed me most of all. It is gorgeous, but also incredible at situating the audience during the alternating timeline shifts. The early years are shot with a painterly glow {deep reds, yellows & greens}, whereas muted blues & grays signal the end-of-innocence later years. Another highlight of the photography occurs in 2 overlapping sequences where a concerned Jo descends a staircase to receive sharply different sets of news.
Thanks to Greta Gerwig's thoughtful vision, this 'Little Women' could become a classic for a new generation. The juxtaposition of how she chose to show the timelines of this story are essential to understanding the character's motivations. And additionally, because the sisters are kept apart for much of the last part of the novel, the flashbacks invite us to see them all together late in the proceedings. With so much resting on the success or failure of works of art, Gerwig uses a 19th century period piece to have something modernist to say about the anxiety-ridden relationship btwn. a woman & her work {Gerwig/becoming a great director - and - Louisa May Alcott/Jo proving themselves as female authors of distinction}. And even if you leave thematic heft out of it, her 'Little Women' can be enjoyed as a poignant, hopeful, exquisite movie to experience in any case. This is one of the best films of 2019.