![]() Largely, I’m genuinely disinterested in most other film outings, but this transforms into anger at the constant stream of sequels, remakes and reboots. I’m alarmed to find myself in some kind of survival mode, adopting the defence mechanism of delving into the films of my childhood to emulate the cliche of “simpler times”. Once sumptuous treats are now ashes in my mouth, and while visiting the cinema was once a beloved past-time, it now feels like a chore and more tragically even a waste of my precious time. Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen, Laura Dern, Timothee Chalamet, James Norton, Louis Garrel, Meryl Streep, Tracy LettsĢ019 has marked an all time high in global cynicism, which to myself has felt like an overwhelming blanket of numbness that turns everything grey. Gerwig makes you want to re-read the novel and perhaps even read Alcott’s short stories to decide for yourself if you agree with the critic or not.Screenwriter: Greta Gerwig (based on the novel by Lousia May Alcott) The forgotten man is indeed what brings “something of value” to this little woman.Īt once easily accessible to mainstream cinema-goers and sufficiently nuanced for the learned reader of classics, the film brings a new perspective on the art of writing, but also on the ethics of building a life as an adult. Yet after her publisher suggests she turns the ending into a happier one by letting the protagonist marry the critic instead of dying alone, the viewer is enchanted by a classic scene of the new couple kissing in the rain. When Professor Bhaer (Louis Garrel) criticises Jo’s published short stories, the author starts yelling and ranting. The film takes aims at critics, dismissing them as forgotten men. From the first scene however, the novelist pays attention to how much she can earn from her writing, up until the closing scene when she negotiates to retain the copyright of her soon-to-be bestselling novel. ![]() They have to work, or sell themselves into marriage. If not lower middle class, the Marshes are part of the impoverished middle class. ![]() Can they afford to become who they truly are? It isn’t that Jo Marsh does not want to be loved she wants to be accepted by society as a full human being regardless of gender norms and expectations.īirthed by their father’s transcendentalist progressivism and propelled forward by the full force of abolitionism, the Marsh sisters seem to be hindered not so much by their essentialist characteristics as entrapped by their social status. Gerwig turns what could be a deja vu feminist screed into a subtle, enchanting and at times ironic tale of woman empowerment. Only Jo Marsh, the novelist, manages to achieve success both in love and professionally, thanks in large part to the counsel and affection of men in her life. While their father is fighting on the battlefield, Jo (Saoirse Ronan), Meg (Emma Watson), Amy (Florence Pugh) and Beth (Eliza Scanlen) are fighting another battle: how to build their lives. Partly autobiographical, Alcott’s novel tells the story of four sisters in Massachusetts whose futures are torn between marrying up and pursuing artistic aspirations. The first chapter of the novel only comes a quarter into the film, yet it seems completely in sync with the structure on the screen, thanks in part to Alexandre Desplat’s score. With echoes of the French New Wave and a postmodern structure, Gerwig blends scenes from the novel out of context to create a new work of art. Buoyed by star power with the likes of Meryl Streep, Laura Dern, Emma Watson and Timothée Chalamet, the film manages to remain lightly choreographed and entertaining thanks to Gerwig’s unquestionable talent. In just two hours, Gerwig does her best to accommodate commercial demands while bringing her sophisticated artistic touch to this reinterpretation of a New England novel cherished by many. This latest cinematic adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s 1868 eponymous Civil War classic asks a fundamental question: can little women produce “something of value”? It isn’t clear who is asking the question: Greta Gerwig, the youngish, artsy director, or Sony Pictures, the sales-driven, diversity-obsessed octopus of a movie studio?
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