We’ve all seen an adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s novel Little Women. There have been twelve movie adaptations since 1918 and a Tony-nominated musical. Greta Gerwig is adding her name to the list of people who have taken this beloved story from the pages to the silver screen. With an all-star cast including Meryl Streep, Laura Dern, and Saoirse Ronan, Little Women is sure to delight movie-goers with its heart.

Gerwig expertly jumps back between two timelines, each with their own palette. In the earlier timeline, one that follows closely to the beginning of the novel, the colors are warm: oranges, yellows, and reds. This timeline follows the March sisters and their mother as they await the arrival of their father and husband, who had been away fighting in the Union army. The “present” timeline, in comparison, is blue and pale, as if the family’s separation — whether by death, job opportunities, or marriage — has zapped the world of its wonder and colors.

Little Women was nominated for six Academy Awards, among them best Picture and Best Actress (for Ronan), but many people noticed the absence of Greta Gerwig (and other women) from the Best Director category. This reveals a bad pattern in the nomination process. Throughout the history of the Oscars, only five women have been nominated for best director, and only one has won (Kathryn Bigelow in 2009 for The Hurt Locker). Before the nominations were announced a few weeks ago, Gerwig was considered a front-runner, especially considering that Little Women had passed the box office milestone of $100 million worldwide.  

(The percentage of women directors was on the upswing in 2019 — and will be again this year. Last year, popular films such as “Hustlers” (Lorene Scafaria), “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” (Marielle Heller) and “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” (Céline Sciamma) were directed by women. For the first time, two movies co-directed by women, “Frozen 2” and “Captain Marvel,” were among the top five box office performers for the year.)

Either way, Little Women is a triumphant and warm testament to family bonds and sisterhood. Below are what critics are saying about this movie:

• “This is a big, generous-hearted movie, as smart as it is pretty; as an homage to female ambitions, appetites and irrepressible will, it feels both true to its period and entirely of the moment.” — Ann Hornaday Washington Post
• “Warm but never wishy-washy, cosy without being cutesy, this is a superb adaptation of the source and further evidence that Gerwig is the real deal.” — Helen O’Hara, Empire
  
• “Director Greta Gerwig’s version of this classic faithfully gives fans more of what they adore from the beloved March sisters.” — Emily Clark, Plugged In

Little Women is currently playing at Ruby Cinemas and Cherokee Phoenix Theater.