Little Women (2019)

The only reason to adapt a book over and over again (in my opinion) is to remedy the mistakes of previous adaptations, or put more of the novel into the movie, whether in terms of substance or spirit. This film had neither. Like so many motion pictures today, the product seems to be produced with only one objective in mind- money. And how to earn that? Throw together what seem to be the most popular director, actors and screenwriters in a bowl and hope that something 'good' comes out of this muddle. What is most disappointing (hence the two stars), is that this could have been a comprehensive adaptation of the complete novel. Yet the casting didn't hit the mark from the get-go: everyone is talking about how sympathetic Amy comes out in this adaptation, yet I can hardly agree. The casting of an older actress as a young, petulant child only makes her seem incredibly immature, and little to no attention is given to her actual age as in the book. The actress who played Jo would have been ideal for Amy, and the one playing Meg looked like the youngest of them all. Beth just got lost in the mix, having even lesser of a personality than in the book. Laurie seemed incapable of aging, and the other male characters come off as flat caricatures. Another major aspect of the book that isn't highlighted in this adaptation is the spirituality of the whole March family. I understand that 'God' is considered a taboo subject in cinema today, but if you wanted a godless story, there are plenty of options out there that could have been adapted. Instead, the makers choose to blatantly show their contempt for the religion of the Marches, notably in one scene when Jo mockingly states to a sick Beth's submissive prayers that 'Jo's will shall be done'- a line that would have been considered blasphemous in Alcott's time. Which brings me to another problem with this adaptation- a selling point so proudly hailed in promoting this film was how much 'respect' had been accorded to Louisa May Alcott's wishes for the ending of 'Little Women' vis a vis the marriage of Jo to Mr. Bhaer. If the producers were truly so concerned in honouring her, why wait till the very last second in the movie to exact her wishes. There is no indication previously that Jo ends up alone- and why must the 'happier' ending occur only in concurrence with her not getting her dreams fulfilled? And if Mr. Bhaer indeed did not propose to Jo following a mad dash to the railway station, at which point exactly did this alternative fictional narrative begin? The ambiguous ending works best if there is a clear fork in the story suggesting one of two outcomes- in the case of this adaptation, it is a useless insert that only serves to make 'Little Women' seem edgy (as if it ever needed it). The story of 'Little Women' works so well- and has remained embedded in people's hearts so long- for one main reason: it is pretty much the only classic out there that treats young women as human beings, while even the more progressive novels of the 1800s build up to that conclusion. In Alcott's novel, it's on page one- these are people, who happen to be girls, having the typical thoughts and feelings of anyone making their way through life. But wait- there's a hurdle presented by the outside world which believes that women have a certain place in the world. Never mind that, say the girls' parents; there are different goals each must pursue, simply because no two people are alike. So pursue them- these 'palace beautifuls', but also strive to be good human beings. Learn and practice the qualities of courage, self-control, kindness and generosity, because these characteristics are essential for becoming a good person, no matter your gender, and if the outside world tells you that it's just an outline of the perfect woman, disregard those statements because all good people are alike. It is a pity that this adaptation has ultimately ignored the very pathos of Louisa May Alcott's beloved novel- the pursuit of one's dreams without sacrificing one's moral principles- simply to make a story that is comparatively diminutive in its message, and in certain moments, works wholly against the spirit of the novel.

The Little Women story will always be exceptional, and worth reading and watching, but this version was very disappointing. The script and editing was very poor, giving me the impression that middle-or high-schoolers put it together. Much of the acting was subpar. If I were to NOT recommend a version, it would be this one, but I love Little Women, in general, far too much to tell someone NOT to watch this. On the other hand, if it WAS written by inexperienced young people, I would say, "Hey, good job,"

This is a clean, family movie! There are no instances of crude language (not even a “crap” or “stupid”). I took my 9 year old and her 9 year old friend and they both liked the movie. Yes, there is a drinking scene that shows one person staggering a bit and another where they are passing out “cups” but nothing that would make me think it was inappropriate for my daughter’s age. There is also a death scene but the movie bounces around from present to past so much, it was hard for my daughter to know who actually died. (I won’t spoil it for you but be ready for questions when it happens) Overall, a sweet movie - very girly and fun for the family. (I should also add that I have never read the book so I didn’t have a basis for judging the characters and how they relate to the book)

This is the least favorite of mine of the Little Women movies I’ve seen. It goes back and forth from present to past constantly, and the story line is very hard to follow. The best part is definitely the cinematography. And I enjoy at the end how they give a glimpse into the school and the little men. I’m not fond of the modern young actors. But my younger children knew these actors and could appreciate them. I was ready to shut the movie off early on. The 1994 version with Winona Ryder is much better.

I am a big fan of Louisa May Alcott's novel. I read it when I was 12 and it has stayed with me like a family album of stories that offers comfort when you miss your hometown. From that perspective I find this film to be beautifully shot and overall lackluster in its character portrayals. Yes, Pugh stands out, but everyone else is either bland or insufferable. This story is still very relevant but Gerwig takes not big swings. Her approach is too subtle, making Meg's involvement seem superficial and not adding much to the overall narrative. Although Pugh does an admirable job with the material she is given it feels like too little too late.

This was very beautifully done. The acting is superb and the complexity of the relationships makes for many teachable moments. We use an app that removes content that may not be appropriate for every family (nudity/adult themes, language, etc.) Using this with this movie enabled my 11 year old to understand the storyline without scenes that would be inappropriate for her.

This is such an amazing movie! Lots of funny moments and it really brings the classic alive! Such lovely actors and role models! Some sad parts, however kids 10+ should be fine. Please watch this movie!

This movie is heart-warming and family-friendly. It does have some romance sprinkled throughout, but there's nothing extremely inappropriate shown and there is minimal instances of social drinking. Highly-recommend; but read the book first, the movie was a little confusing!

This is the most horrible movie I've ever watched. The story follows 4 sisters, all of whom are miserable. Things get destroyed, love lives are unrealistically bad, people (including a baby and a main character) die, literally every few minutes I thought "at least this can't get worse" and then I was proven wrong! The only redeeming quality is that the movie has saved me from the horror of ever reading this book! If you own a copy, you would do the world a favor to destroy it, and the movie company should have gone out of business for making it. I couldn't finish the last 20 minutes or so because it was just that bad, and I felt sick to my stomach all night and am now haunted by visions of what I saw. In short, please save yourself and close this browser window immediately without ever watching this sad excuse for a movie!!!