"Little Women" Review - The Princess and the Family

There’s a special kind of movie magic in the world when a period piece based on something that has been adapted hundreds of times before is still able to make an impact right to your heart. That’s the power of Greta Gerwig, one of the many female directors this year sticking out in the spotlight like a sparkling diamond. I was a bit nervous for this adaption because as much as I liked “Lady Bird” it did get a bit overblown in how fantastic it was. Rest assured though, Greta’s “Little Women” is one people will talk about for a long while, especially since her directing launches to a whole other level this time around.

Not only is the script so genuine in showcasing the values of family, friendship, and love in all the main characters, but the use of color is something to definitely keep your eye on. The film leaps through time quite a bit, but through the gloomy blue and the bright gold temperatures Greta sets for each time frame, the audience is able to see both the darkness and the sun when it comes to all the members of the March family. This is all on top of some gorgeous and unique camerawork and a godly Alexandre Desplat score that gets into the emotions of the actors themselves It’s a brilliant way to showcase both sides of the coin as the viewer explores the relationships and origins of the writings Jo is slowly creating.

As if that weren’t enough though, the ensemble is one of the most killer ensembles to hit the cinemas in the past few years. Not only do you have such memorable performances by Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Timothee Chalamet, Laura Dern, and not as good as the other newcomers, Meryl Streep; but the chemistry between every single one of them is simply gold to watch. You laugh with them, you cry with them, you feel like they are part of your inner family, which takes a tight knit family itself to achieve.

It takes a special kind of magic to have a film feel like a perfectly sown wool blanket that will warm your heart to the hottest of temperatures. For men to pass this along and treat it as if it were “The Princess and the Frog” would be a travesty. This is not a guy’s movie or a girl’s movie; it’s a family movie. Greta’s new film takes her to new heights just as Barry Jenkins’ If Beale Street Could Talk took him to new heights. While “Little Women” has been beaten to death, there probably has never been a better project for Gerwig to take on. Yet again, I use the word, “probably” for a reason. There’s so much more to come out of this fine director. I’ve got a pretty good feeling her best is yet to come.

Two Nebs Up!