Little Women In Theaters December 25th
By Writer-director Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird) has crafted a Little Women that draws on both the classic novel and the writings of Louisa May Alcott and unfolds as the author’s alter ego, Jo March reflects back and forth on her fictional life.
In Gerwig’s take, the beloved story of the March sisters – four young women each determined to live life on her own terms — is both timeless and timely. Portraying Jo, Meg, Amy, and Beth March, the film stars Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen, with Timothée Chalamet as their neighbor Laurie, Laura Dern as Marmee, and Meryl Streep as Aunt March.
Greta Gerwig’s ‘Little Women’ puts a fresh spin on the literary classic
Braving the challenge of breathing new life into a classic, oft-adapted novel, writer-director Greta Gerwig has reunited with her “Lady Bird” star, Saoirse Ronan, on “Little Women,” a beautiful shot film that seeks to bring fresh relevance in this 150-year-old story.
Gerwig mostly succeeds, primarily by playing with the timeline, moving back and forth between the exploits of the March sisters in Louisa May Alcott’s original book and their older selves (played by the same actresses) seven years later.
There’s plenty of strength in the casting, which, as an aside, includes not a single American among the central quartet. In addition to Ronan as the ambitious Jo, there’s Emma Watson as Meg, Florence Pugh (“Midsommar”) as Amy and Eliza Scanlen (“Sharp Objects”) as the ill-fated Beth.
A creature of habit, Gerwig also casts “Lady Bird” co-star Timothee Chalamet as their neighbor Laurie, the boy who loves more than one of them, while classing up the periphery with Laura Dern, Meryl Streep, Tracy Letts, Chris Cooper and Bob Odenkirk.