With an all-star cast of Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh, Timothee Chalamet, Laura Dern, Emma Watson and Meryl Streep (to name a few), Little Women is one of 2019’s finest films, and is a surefire competitor this upcoming awards season – especially for Best Adapted Screenplay.
Little Women follows the story of the four March sisters, focusing on Jo (who Louisa May Alcott based on herself), who dreams of moving to New York to become a writer. From the every day ins and outs of domestic life to the joys and tragedies that define our lives, Little Women is not just another dry period drama, but a timeless, epic story that everyone (including men!) can find something to take away from.
With Little Women, director Greta Gerwig cements herself as one of the finest filmmakers working today after becoming just the fifth female director to be nominated for Best Director in 2017 for her solo writing/directorial debut Lady Bird back in 2017, in which Ronan and Chalamet also featured.
Credit: Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images
Gerwig has left her mark on the many Little Women adaptations by making this one her own and tailoring it to modern audiences. The storytime jumps between the character’s childhood and adulthood, allowing for an interesting narrative structure that’s easy to follow but gives us a better insight into the characters’ development; and the ending is made to be slightly more ambiguous than in the novel, allowing viewers to decide for themselves whether it is marriage or other life goals that bring you fulfilment, highlighting the freedom that Gerwig has as a modern filmmakers versus Alcott as a 19th-century female novelist.
One of the best things about this picture is how it makes you forget you’re watching a film. Gerwig’s directing style creates a natural world, unlike many directors who have a ‘style’ which can often remind you you’re at the cinema. Little Women is a truly escapist film, and the Mini Cini is a truly escapist screen to view it in.
And, before transporting yourself to the world of Alcott’s Concord, Massachusetts (or after you’re done having a good little cry) treat yourself to three whole courses for just £20 at Cultureplex’s Bistrotheque.
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Little Women
at Cultureplex
When: Monday & Tuesday @ 6:30pm | Wednesday @ 7pm | Thursday @ 7:30pm
Cost: £8
Where: The Mini Cini, Ducie Street Warehouse, Ducie St, Manchester M1 2TP
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