Courtesy of Vox

Greta Gerwig’s film adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s beloved novel “Little Women” was released on Wednesday, Dec. 25, generating almost $150 million at the box office and garnering instant critical acclaim. 

The classic story, following the four March sisters –  Meg, Jo, Amy and Beth – and their attempts to navigate the post-Civil War era American society in which they live, was given a modern twist in this most recent adaptation. Gerwig’s decision to open the film at the end of the novel, during which Jo March has already left her family home in rural Massachusetts in favor of New York City, added freshness to the plot while maintaining its essence, progressing through a series of flashbacks and flash-forwards. 

Saoirse Ronan, who portrayed the second-oldest sister, Jo, put on an outstanding performance. Her ability to display the simultaneous strength and softness of her character, her fierce loyalty to her family and her deep passion for writing resulted in a realistic portrait of a woman wrestling with the difficulties of having a successful career in a misogynistic world. Jo’s rejection of longtime friend Laurie’s (Timothée Chalamet) romantic advances and her proclamation that she will probably never marry also set her apart from her sisters and was symbolic of her broader rejection of the expectations placed on women in the late-19th century.  

The oldest March sister, Meg (Emma Watson), was the first sister to leave the family home to marry and have children, despite her childhood dream of becoming an actress. One of the most poignant moments of the film came when Meg, in defense of her decision to live a traditional life, said to Jo, “Just because my dreams are different than yours, it doesn’t mean they’re unimportant.” This stood out as a fantastic validation of the life choices that many women make, a reinforcement to audiences that women who focus their energy on raising children are not less capable than women who choose to take on careers, a message that is still strikingly applicable today.

Younger sisters Amy and Beth, depicted by Florence Pugh and Eliza Scanlen, respectively, experienced their own trials and tribulations throughout the film. Amy, an avid painter chosen to accompany the sisters’ ailing but wealthy Aunt March (Meryl Streep) on a trip to Europe, struggles with being away from her sisters and feels pressure to marry a foreign man. Beth, who has a love for music and helping others, is stricken with a devastating illness that serves as a catalyst for the March family to become closer than ever. 

As a woman, Gerwig was perhaps uniquely situated to ensure that each female character within the film was presented as emotionally complex and dynamic. The film’s feminist convictions do not overshadow the warmth and coziness that it evokes. With heartwarming scenes such as one that shows the March sisters crowding around their mother to listen to a letter from their father, the wholesome core of the family’s dynamic is reinforced.

The beauty of the film’s cinematography captures the innocence of childhood and its inevitable end in a delicate yet relatable way. Scenes of the March sisters frolicking on a beach, skating on an ice pond and walking home with their arms linked may remind audience members of their own childhoods. 

“Little Women” has been nominated for six Academy Awards, including Ronan’s nomination for Best Actress and Gerwig’s nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. However, many have criticized the academy for neglecting to nominate Gerwig for Best Director, alleging that its members are displaying sexism by only nominating male directors for this award. 

Regardless of the recognition it receives from formal bodies, Gerwig’s film adaptation of Alcott’s original novel “Little Women” remains a timeless story, acting as a commentary on a wide range of issues including poverty, death, gender inequality and love, all of which are relevant to modern audiences. Gerwig’s film adaptation has propelled “Little Women” into the 21st century, and will delight and touch those both familiar and unfamiliar with the story.