Sitting in the theater, I had tears in my eyes. “Little Women” left me contemplating my life choices and reflecting on my goals and aspirations. 

“Little Women” is based on the book written by Louisa May Alcott. It is set in the 1860s, at the time of the Civil War. The movie focuses on the seemingly trivial life of the March sisters, Meg (Emma Watson), Jo (Saoirse Ronan), Beth (Eliza Scanlen) and Amy (Florence Pugh). 

Each girl has a unique personality, from proper Meg, tomboy Jo, kind Beth and sassy Amy. They battle with finances as a poor family, romance, women’s roles and growing up. This coming-of-age story is timeless, discussing societal issues prevalent today. 

The movie has incredibly detailed costumes, scenery and set design. It accurately represents the time period culture, style and social issues. I loved the thought and effort put into the costumes to make them representative of the time period and social class. 

The oldest child, Meg, struggles with her class status, dreaming of a wealthy life. Jo deals with her anger as well as her determination to rebel against the patriarchy. Shy and kind Beth works to create harmony in her family, content with her life with her sisters. Young Amy battles with being compared to her sisters and with establishing herself in society. I enjoyed the diverse personalities expressed by the sisters and how they overcome their own challenges with help from each other. 

The movie jumps from scenes from their childhood to adulthood, showing how problems and priorities change over time. 

“Little Women” also follows the life of Theodore “Laurie” Lawrence (Timothée Chalamet). Laurie provides great eye candy for viewers as well as exhibiting a complex personality. Laurie is the wealthy next door neighbor of the March family. He is treated like family and grows up with a close relationship with Jo. Viewers see how the childhood friendship shifts to a different type of friendship as time shifts. 

A major theme of the movie is evaluating women’s roles in society. The girls battle with the concepts of marrying into the upper class, participating in the workforce and having a family-centered life. Each girl deals with their role in society in unique ways. 

“Little Women” is the story of young women achieving self-actualization. 

It was extremely relatable, despite being set in the 1860s. I loved the costumes and actors. After reading the book, I was familiar with the general plot, so I thought it was a well made movie adaptation. To people who had not read the book previously, the time switches could be confusing without given context clues. 

I found similarities between every sister and myself. I understood their struggles, desires and conflicts. The story remains timeless and prevalent in women’s lives today.