Little Women Review

There's a lot to love about writer/director Greta Gerwig's adaptation of the celebrated story Little Women. A phenomenal female cast raises an already smart and saddening script to commanding heights, while a marvellous production design creates arresting sets that are meticulously crafted and help create a world that feels genuine and lived-in. Despite some pacing and editing issues scattered throughout that can sometimes break immersion and feel jarring, Little Women is full of vivacity, heartache, and charm. Greta Gerwig's provoking storytelling is brimming with radiant performances and hosts a gripping and profoundly human story that's full of thoughtfulness and emotional depth.

Taking place in the years following the Civil War, Little Women follows author Jo March, who reflects on the life she’s had with her three siblings; Meg, Amy and Beth. Throughout the unravelling of her life are complicated feelings of love and regret, critical moral lessons, and devastating moments that dramatically affect Jo and her family forever.

Little Women manages a beautiful balancing act of romance, humour, and character-driven drama that consistency feels fresh and invigorating. Gerwig's adaptation creates intimate and touching scenes that are warm and full of vigour. Her superbly framed scenes and focused direction helps produce emotionally compelling visual storytelling. Adding to the film's remarkable aesthetic is costume and set design that's authentic and ravishing. Many integral elements to the film are handled with such care and confidence that it's difficult not to be affected.

The flaws that Little Women possess are noticeable in its structure and stride. The compartmentalized form of storytelling that Gerwig has chosen hinders the film more than it compliments. Constantly rotating between time is often done abruptly and unwarned. While the consistency of this style allows the audience to get used to it by the start of the second act, it's still an odd presentation choice. Little Women can also feel bloated at times, as Gerwig can allow the electric chemistry of her ensemble to linger for a bit too long. Of course, this is a minor problem due to how enjoyable the performances are to bask in. Still, with a runtime over two hours, many of the film's more formulaic or predictable moments could have been accelerated slightly.

Overall, the stunning presentation, embracing performances, and an outstanding adaptation that organically merges warm moments of togetherness with the emotionally tricky themes of loss and love keep Little Women a finely driven odyssey. Greta Gerwig's proves that the poignancy of a timeless classic lives on.

A brilliant cast and visually arresting production design elevate Greta Gerwig's excellent adaptation of Little Women past its odd editing choices.

Produced By: Sony Pictures
Runtime: 135 minutes
Rating: PG-13