Greta Gerwig’s approach to retelling Alcott’s famous story is one that has earned her both praise and criticism. In my opinion, her nonlinear approach to the story of the four March sisters is a stroke of genius—heightening the bonds between each sister, while giving each one of them their own arc. Merely retelling the story in a straightforward fashion would have made the film far less remarkable, downplaying the celebration of sisterhood, which is the heart of the film. The filters are different for each timeline—golden for the earlier years of fond memories and none for the later years, enabling her to cut effortlessly between the different time periods as she juxtaposes scenes to draw comparisons that deepen the joys and sorrows of family life and sisterhood.
Gerwig blatantly loves her characters, their unique personalities, their triumphs, as well as Alcott’s novel. Reuniting with Gerwig from Lady Bird, Saoirse Ronan is phenomenal as the strong-willed Jo, but the rest of the family stands out along with her: Florence Pugh as the carefree and later world wise Amy, Emma Watson as the quietly supportive and occasionally materialistic Meg, Eliza Scanlen as the sensitive Beth, and Laura Dern as the longsuffering Marmee who holds the family together.
The entire film is a celebration not only of the importance of sisterhood, but of friendships, family life, forgiveness, the beauty of sacrifice, and the importance of feminism—all beautifully filmed with meticulous attention to every detail.
– Evan Cogswell
- Directed by: Greta Gerwig
- Produced by:
- Written by: Greta Gerwig Louisa May Alcott
- Music by: Alexandre Desplat
- Cinematography by: Yorick Le Saux
- Editing by: Nick Houy
- Release Date: 2019
- Running Time: 135
- Language: English
Arts & Faith Lists:
2019 Top 10 — #4