A disclaimer before you read any of my thoughts about the Little Women movie: I am totally biased in my Greta Gerwig opinions. So please, keep my deep admiration in mind!
However, I think my affection is valid- Gerwig's ability to create and develop complex characters allows for her movies to advance beyond the superficial. Little Women is no different, with Gerwig taking beloved characters and giving them a completely new life. There is something remarkably familiar about the March sisters and their beautifully messy lives that few adaptations capture fully.
The intimate chaos of Meg, Jo, Amy, and Beth is perfectly accomplished through the performances of Emma Watson, Saoirse Ronan, Florance Pugh, and Eliza Scanlen. There isn't a second where the audience questions their unique sisterhood, with every moment of their time together filling the theatre with a cacophony of joyous laughter or squabbling.
While Gerwig stays true to Jo's rightful place as the heroine of the story, she creates a stunning character arch for sister Amy. While so many adaptations allow for Amy to be reduced to a whiny, frivolous little sister, Florence Pugh's Amy is joyous, determined, and courageous. This simple change creates an engaging secondary plot that audiences are easily and lovingly invested in and provides yet another example of strong women with agency.
Perhaps the most enjoyable triumph of Gerwig's adaptation is the simple beauty of sharing love and passion. Within every moment of the film, there is an inherent sense of care and bold giving; it is incredible to watch a group of fearlessly loving and strong women exert their strength in simple yet meaningful ways.
This sense of love and caring, rooted in the intimate attachment of the March women, is a phenomenal touchstone for our discordant times. Audiences get to witness women take agency and share a unique and loveable gift with others: connection. Just as Gerwig begins the movie with Louisa May Alcott's timely quote, "I had lots of troubles; so I write jolly tales," we are all reminded of the value of spreading love, even when life feels dark.
