I’ve heard of Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, but I’ve not seen any of the other film adaptations or read the book. Stories of drama and romance aren’t something I actively seek, but I do try to push myself to experience something different on occasion. While initially a bit slow and honestly confusing from telling the story out of linear order, I see why this story has held the test of time. The main four characters are relatable, yet unique. The film is presented as a series of smaller stories of four women as they grow up and try to find both their purpose and happiness in life.
The story is set at an unspecified time and place during the American Civil War somewhere likely in the Northeastern United States. We’re introduced to Jo March (Saoirse Ronan) as she’s trying to sell a short story without admitting she wrote it. The publisher removes a page of the story about seeking a deeper meaning against her objections but agrees to pay her for the more scandalous parts of it. Jo heads home where she explains through narration that she’s been earning money to help support her family in her father’s absence. We are introduced to Amy March (Florence Pugh) who is away in Paris, France with Aunt March (Meryl Streep).
In Paris, Amy bumps into family friend Theodore “Laurie” Laurence (Timothée Chalamet) and they catch up before Amy asks if Laurie would like to pick her up for a dance. The movie then transitions to seven years ago to the March house where Jo, Meg March (Emma Watson), Amy, and Beth March (Eliza Scanlen) are getting ready to go to a party. At the party Jo runs into Laurie for the first time and admits to him that she was told not to dance as she burned her dress a bit. Laurie asks her outside to dance so the burned dress can avoid being seen. After the dance, it’s revealed Meg hurt her ankle dancing and needs to be taken home and Laurie offers his carriage to take them home. They go home to meet the very friendly Marmee March (Laura Dern) and we can see that this is a very happy household as the four girls relax after the dance.
I would say the biggest flaw of the movie is knowing when and where certain events are happening. It’s unclear at times if a character just isn’t home at the time or if they currently don’t live there like Amy’s trip to Paris. I do think telling the story out of order has some benefits as well since we know the results of certain events before seeing what leads up to them, which I feel gives us more opportunities to understand characters in certain context. The biggest strength of the movie really is the characters from their everyday to existential troubles. I think the title is apt in understanding the topic of the movie as while they are young, the main four women still must deal with what it means to be an adult in that time period. I left the theater with a satisfied feeling from this engrossing story. I feel curious about the other books from this series as I did enjoy it. I’m glad my first movie of 2020 was a good one. Rated PG.
Ryan
Read it or Weep 