Review of Little Women (2019) by Sakinah — 17 Jan 2020

This Movie, that I absolutely refuse to call Little Women, is a slap in the face to anyone that has read the book, loved the classic story and has grown up with these characters ; Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy!

I am a fan of Greta Gerwig and of 'Lady Bird', which is why it was all the more unexpected that this movie turned out to be so disappointing and such a betrayal to me.

Especially as Greta herself has said that this story was first introduced to her as a child, so she knows what it means to grow up with these characters and this story.

Let's start first with how the story was unfolded. Starting in future and jumping back to the past then jumping to the future??? It ruins the whole emersive experience that the true Little Women story provides.

The reason that the story has attracted so many young girls is because that's when the story starts, when they are little girls and draws you in as they grow, learn and mature.

Next, the dreadful casting of characters that do not capture the true essence of the sisters! The terrible idea to have younger Amy and older Amy played by the same actress makes the younger Amy extremely unlikeable. And although I am a fan of Saoirse Ronan, her portrayal of Jo was completely inadequate, scatter-brained and weak.

The others so blended into the scenery they're not even worth critiquing with one exception. The one star was given for Meryl Streep.

Even if I could get behind the chaotic way in which the story was told and the drab choice of actors and actresses, I absolutely draw the line at Greta Gerwig's choice to merge the life of Louisa May Alcott and the character Jo March!

This is where the chunk of my feeling of betrayal comes from. If Greta wished to make that creative choice she has all right to do so but then Greta Gerwig cannot call this movie Little Women! Because it is not!!

Greta has 'adapted' the original story to the point where the story has shifted perspective from the central theme being family to it being about women's rights.

If this is the story Greta wanted to tell then she should have done a biographical movie about Louisa May Alcott without riding on the coat tails of Little Women!!!

Greta Gerwig's explanation that she used materials from letters and diaries of Louisa May Alcott is just insulting. It's all the more reason that it should have been a biographical movie of Alcott's life.