Review: Little Women

I remember seeing the 1994 version, really enjoying it and seeing it as one of the few period dramas that I genuinely believe can appeal to everyone. I think it is due to the story, the engaging characters the general joyous vibe you can get out of it.

Now this latest version sees Greta Gerwig at the helm, and basically Hollywood's best female actors in their 20's playing the iconic four March sisters.

I can safely say that I got all the feelings that I felt during the 90's version, and then some. There is a great deal of charm, warmth and just pure happiness coming from it. I also admired the changes to the structure Gerwig gave to this to shake it up. It was perfect balance of remembering how good this story is whilst making it as refreshing as possible.

The performances across the board were all tip top. Saoirse Ronan continues to be as great as ever and the lead the film with great maturity. Florence Pugh really shone and easily stole the show as best of the supporting cast. I expect her to be involved in the awards season.
It was great seeing Emma Watson back on screen as I know she does not do as many projects since Harry Potter and Eliza Scanlen really made of the most of her opportunity to show the world what a promising talent she is.
Laura Dern used her experience well to help her younger cast control the screen. I'm glad to see Dern virtually have a second wind in her career as some people will still know her for just Jurassic Park.
There were also memorable performances by Timothee Chalamet, Chris Cooper and Meryl Streep.

I honestly don't have any notable negatives to speak of. So it just depends on the strength of my enjoyment and where I rate this.

For me, this is a very strong adaptation that has you feeling all the emotions. People who know the story will fall in love with it all over again, and first timers will have a great time and be introduced to many rich characters.
It's well directed, the cast are absolutely spot on and it gives you an experience that makes you want to actually be there. Whether or not you've seen previous version, it's just a joyous watch. Despite it being a period drama, there's a great modern touch to it. It's also shot beautifully and the production looks fantastic.
I did have a worry that with the current climate we're in, all the moments of feminism would feel forced. But I'm so happy to say that it never felt preachy and felt integral to the story. I'm glad I was proved wrong. This is a definitely the perfect recipe if you need your spirits lifted.

Rating: 8/10