By: Keaton Marcus

It's been a solid 25 years since the last well-received adaptation of Mary Louise Alcott's beloved book, but the streak shall go on no more! Director Greta Gerwig's take on "Little Women" is surprisingly excellent, flourishing with an exceptionally chosen cast, beautifully done cinematography, and wonderful set design. The reboot is not only as heartwarming as audiences have come to expect, but it also happens to be excruciatingly emotional. Right, when you identify the picture as the happy-go-lucky Christmas movie, it happens to stab you directly in the heart, and immediately, the cinema is mourning with the characters. Gerwig's deft direction, Saorise Ronan's flawless lead performance, and a pitch-perfect mix of humor and drama make it one of the best films of the year. Sure, it isn't the film of 2019, but it's without a doubt one of the most timely achievements of the 365 days.

If you've read the book, or seen any one of the four adaptations, you know the story by heart. "Little Women," tells the tale of four sisters living together in the aftermath of the Civil War. In the house, it's all women, with their father off fighting, and the mother, Marmee (a superb Laura Dern), staying to care for the girls. There's Meg (Emma Watson restrained, but solid), Amy (a quirky, and loveable Florence Pugh), Beth (Eliza Scanlen) and the troublemaker; Jo (Saorise Ronan in her next brilliant role). The former three have yet to marry, while the fourth seems to be too content with her free life to do so. Jo is a writer and is hoping to get her many short stories published in newspapers, trying to inject her passion into a world that rejects females in nearly every respect. It's truly a brilliant premise, simple, yet full of life.

What maddens Aunt March (an enjoyable Meryl Streep) are the chosen paths the four sisters have embarked upon. She's all about marrying rich and living the rest of your life under a man. This is while Meg and Amy are in desire of truly loving somebody, and Jo is refusing to marry at all. Nevertheless, it’s still Ronan who steals the show. The chemistry with co-star Timothèè Chalamet (who plays Laurie terrifically) or the heartfelt portrayal of being there for siblings still doesn't overcome Ronan's impeccable outing. Yes, the cinematography, light-fingered direction, and screenplay will still not beat out the lead performance. And that's how a film should go, believe it, or not. After nabbing roles in both "Lady Bird", "Loving Vincent" and "Mary, Queen of Scotts", Ronan may have just become the "it" girl of the decade.

Despite being a little overshadowed by how excellent the cast was, Gerwig is truly the mastermind behind this production. Her creative mind, and a distinct knack for wit and ambition make this the film for the ages. It's remarkably the next-gen "Little Women", but still happens to be set in the 1860s. While Gerwig never lets the feminine feel of it fade away, both genders will more than likely be thoroughly engaged to the given adaptation, and let go of all the squabblings of "chick flicks". Running at about 137 minutes, this period piece clocks just right and leaves more than enough time to mix romance, drama and laughs into one bulky melting pot of a movie. See it for any one of the three themes above, but genuinely, you'll cherish the movie in general.

The final opinion is: Greta Gerwig's "Little Women" is a timeless adaptation that features worthy performances, heartwarming emotion and an abundance of wit and fresh ideas...$PLURGE IT

By: Keaton Marcus

Box Office Info:

Opening: 16.7M

Domestic Total: 108M

Worldwide Total: 205.9M