WARNING: Potential spoilers ahead, so continue reading at your own risk!

A little over a week ago, I went to the movie theater to see the re-creation of Little Women with my family. I experienced a whirlwind of emotions while watching this film! The main plot of the beloved feature revolves around the four March sisters: Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy. They live in a quaint house located in Massachusetts with their mother, Marmee, and their cook/maid, Hannah. Their father is away serving as Chaplain in the Civil War, during the 1860s. 

I read Little Women by Louisa May Alcott when I was in fifth grade and it has always been one of my all time favorite classics. I assumed that the 2019 remake would be almost a carbon copy of the 1949 or the 1994 version, but the director, Greta Gerwig went above and beyond my expectations! 

Meg March (Emma Watson): Watson played the delightful and witty version of the oldest March sister. Meg always strives for success and seems to have it all together, however, she longs for beautiful things that she simply cannot afford and is very similar to her mother, Marmee, when it comes to being responsible. In the film, Meg is a major people-pleaser who wants to come across as wealthy towards her friends so that she doesn’t face embarrassment of how little money she possesses. 

Jo March (Saoirse Ronan): Ronan perfectly depicts a stubborn, ambitious, tomboy Jo who is determined to turn the tables during a crucial time, even though it was extremely strange for women to have any job besides being a cook, maid, wife, or mother. Jo is the glue that holds the March family together, and although she has disputes with her sisters now and then, she is always there for them. This heroine cares way more about writing her novel about her sisters than chasing boys who aren’t worth her attention and time. 

Beth March (Eliza Scanlen): Scanlen portrays the very timid, talented, and quiet March sister that doesn’t get nearly the praise that she clearly deserves. Throughout the movie, Beth is shown to be hidden away from her family and doesn’t participate in activities involving her sisters because she grows to be very frail, weak, and ill. Although Beth becomes extremely sick and bedridden with scarlet fever later in the movie, she continues to practice her favorite hobby: playing the piano. Not only can Beth play songs, but it is quite simple to see how much of a musical prodigy she is and how much joy she finds from playing music. 

Amy March (Florence Pugh):  Pugh plays a much more mature version of previous Amy (such as Kirsten Dunst in the 1994 movie). I truly thought that Pugh did an excellent job at really shining a light upon Amy’s major interests, such as painting, and a little bit of her rebellious side. She may be the annoying tag-along little sister, but that doesn’t mean that she isn’t super wise and knows exactly what she wants in life. 

Overall, I thought that Little Women was truly astounding and brought back so many childhood memories from previous movies (and the book, of course!). Honestly, I assumed that the movie would either be too similar to the 1994/1949 films or that it would be too different. The feature perfectly resembled both sides in the best way. The classic roots remained, while there was a slightly more modern take on it as well. Coming from someone who generally isn’t a big fan of war-era or history movies, this movie completely exceeded my expectations and was definitely not boring at all. I highly recommend that you consider seeing this movie. It doesn’t disappoint and it just might restore your faith in humanity!