For years, moviegoers knew Greta Gerwig from her quirky, lovable film acting roles. She turned heads in GREENBERG and NO STRINGS ATTACHED, and then held her own opposite Russell Brand in the remake of ARTHUR.
Gerwig really found her groove collaborating with real-life partner Noah Baumbach on a series of films, from FRANCES HA to MISTRESS AMERICA. But in 2017, things changed. Gerwig finally struck out on her own by directing the semi-autobiographical LADY BIRD with Saoirse Ronan and Timothée Chalamet. It was an instant crowd-pleaser, and audiences needed to know what Gerwig was going to tackle next.
The answer ended up being an adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s seminal novel, LITTLE WOMEN, which boasts an all-star cast and arrives in theatres with a healthy dose of Oscar® buzz. Rightfully so, as the whole endeavor is utterly delightful from start to finish, showing a tremendous amount of confidence from the writer-director who is only delivering her second movie.
There’s a good chance you know the story of the March sisters, who bond, live and grow in New England in the 1860s. Each sister has a distinct personality, and Gerwig expertly casts to the importance of each role, whether it be Ronan capturing the steadfast independence of Jo March, or Emma Watson tackling the delicate sophistication of Meg March.
Timothée Chalamet rejoins his LADY BIRD co-star and director to play the perfect role of Laurie, a love interest for almost all of the sisters. And Gerwig rounds out her cast with outstanding talents including Meryl Streep, Florence Pugh, Laura Dern, Tracy Letts and Bob Odenkirk.
But Greta Gerwig circumvents a traditional, linear narrative, choosing to hop forward, then skip back to pivotal moments of growth in the lives of the March sisters. And it's exquisite to watch as LITTLE WOMEN effortlessly guides us along its path, rarely losing its momentum and keeping focus trained on its fascinating characters. The balancing act should be difficult, but Gerwig and her cast make it look easy.
The star-studded ensemble will lure audiences to the theatre to see LITTLE WOMEN, and critical groups have been recognizing the talent with nominations already. But we can imagine that many will leave LITTLE WOMEN talking about the one lady we don’t see on screen, because she was too busy doing amazing things behind the camera, and that’s Greta Gerwig.
Get your tickets now to LITTLE WOMEN for the Christmas Day release.
