Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.5

Little Women Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman March 31, 2020

Director Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird) accomplishes big things with Little Women, a vivid retelling of Louisa May Alcott's 1868 novel of the same name. The film follows several other, older adaptations, notably Sony's own 1994 film that today still holds up as a treasured take on the timeless tale. Gerwig, who also penned this screen adaptation, captures the essence and essential details of the original work, maintaining the story's depth, breadth, and core drama and values while still putting her own stamp on the material. There's nothing that fundamentally changes the story, but thorough production and presentation emphasis Gerwig bolsters its voice for modern audiences while allowing it to sit comfortably in its own, and familiar, setting.

The March sisters -- Meg (Emma Watson), Jo (Saoirse Ronan), Beth (Eliza Scanlen), and Amy (Florence Pugh) -- celebrate through the uplifting bonds of sisterhood and navigate the struggles of togetherness towards the end of the Civil War. Their father (Bob Odenkirk), who is away with the Union Army, calls them his "little women.” Each girl faces her own issues while wrestling with the realities of coming-of-age without their father. When the orphaned Laurie (Timothée Chalamet) moves in with his rich grandfather (Chris Cooper), he finds himself drawn to the chaotic but sweet family life he finds in the March girls. The film alternates between a "present day" setting and the girl’s teenage years, depicting how each girl grows up amidst the challenges they face as both teenagers and little women.

Perhaps the most challenging component of translating any book to the screen, but particularly one so layered and beloved as Little Women and one with several quality adaptations already in existence, is deciding what stays, what goes, and what plays with less focus through the main story beats within whatever reasonable allotted runtime. Gerwig does fabulous work in the translation, albeit work that can be a little confusing even for those who know the book well due to the time shifts that do help to solidify certain story and character beats but sometimes at the expense of general narrative flow and feel. Gerwig certainly hits the highlight moments and character notes but she carefully and craftily builds the whole with a sense of involved and intimate wonder that puts the viewer into one of the most vividly realized and authentically produced period pieces film has seen in some time.

Indeed, the film's production values are resplendent. But it's not just costumes and set dressings that do the work. Rather, it's the way Gerwig and Cinematographer Yorick Le Saux frame it, makeing the world a living, breathing character in its own right, a home for the story and a world for the girls to explore, not to simply act within. For example, the March family home tells the story all its own and in its own way, furnished with shabby yet tasteful decor revealing the societal struggle the family faces as part of the fringe upper class: too rich to be poor, too poor to be rich. Contrarily, the Lawrence mansion offers a nice visual juxtaposition that exudes wealth but also the coldness that exists within. The performances are superb, with the cast expressive and fully fitting into character even beyond the excellent work done by the collected cast in the 1994 film. Ronan is a revelation as Jo, the film's focus who is an aspiring writer and who is torn between what is popular -- women expanding their roles and demonstrating their abilities to the world -- and what is, in her time, proper: not signing her name to her stories, for example. The other girls are fantastic, each intimately involved with their character arcs but understanding the greater role of family, togetherness, and division in their ranks as sisters and burgeoning women both.

Little Women Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Little Women joins increasingly rarified air as a modern motion picture actually shot on film. And it, of course, looks fantastic on Blu-ray. The image holds tight to a very fine and flattering grain structure, yielding a beautifully organic film-like presentation. It's very complimentary of the period details that visually define the movie, supporting the dense dresses and sharp suits, the wood and brick work around homes, the ornate furnishings and fine support accents, grasses and leaves. Image clarity is resplendent up close in particular as it breathes life into complex facial details with striking ease and efficiency. Colors are equally well balanced. They are not loud, offering instead a hint of airiness. They are very well saturated and flattering, from dense natural greens and colorful fall foliage to pastel dresses and accents in chapter eight seen during an elegant reception. Black levels and skin tones yield no problems. The image is not entirely perfect, though. The odd speckle appears here and there, with a few, albeit very brief, occurrences of near heavy density. A couple of out of focus backgrounds look more clumpy than they do organically smooth and soft, but all told these flaws are small and should not detract from what is an otherwise beautiful Blu-ray presentation from Sony.

Little Women Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack delivers a high quality listen that is well versed in both prominent and modestly supportive sound elements alike. The track opens with considerable stretch and intensity in the first 90 seconds when Jo enters a busy New York publishing office where chatter dominates the stage but doesn't overwhelm it, quickly giving way to central scene dialogue. Boisterous music pours through the stage in the scene to follow, an exuberant Jo running down the street, where both the music and the din create a jovial exercise in sound engineering excellence. The track is never shy about expansion and expression, with music often soaring -- at film's end being another wonderful example -- but also playing with subtle background support as necessary. The track also sees its sound effects range from high yield to soft and subtle. Surrounds are engaged with regularity but also with admirable balance. One of the finest back channel moments comes when Amy chases after Jo in chapter seven, screaming with wonderfully discrete placement and detail. Atmospheric effects are pleasantly integrated through and across the entire stage. Dialogue delivery is clear and center positioned through the duration. This is a wonderful audio presentation from Sony.

Little Women Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Little Women's Blu-ray includes a handful of featurettes. A DVD copy of the film and a Movies Anywhere digital copy code are included with purchase. This release ships with a non-embossed slipcover.

• A New Generation of Little Women (1080p, 12:52): A look at the source novel, crafting the story for modern audiences, Louisa May Alcott's writing and life, and a closer examination of character specifics and cast performances.
• Making a Modern Classic (1080p, 9:02): Exploring the collective efforts in making the movie: sets, costumes, production design, real life inspirations from Louisa May Alcott's home, the picture's cinematography and aspect ratio, and more.
• Greta Gerwig: Women Making Art (1080p, 9:22): A closer look at Gerwig's work on the film, including her history with and love for the source material and her own perspective on the material and how it shapes the story and the film's production.
• Hair & Make-Up Test Sequence (1080p, 2:58): Exploratory film footage set to rousing score.
• Little Women Behind the Scenes (1080p, 3:25): A quick supplement that essentially reviews the content from the other extras: the source, cast, Gerwig's direction, and more.
• Orchard House, Home of Louisa May Alcott (1080p, 10:07): A fascinating discussion of the author's home, work, and life with Jan Turnquist, Executive Director of Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House.
• Previews (1080p): Additional Sony titles.

Little Women Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Little Women is a fine example of resplendent filmmaking. It's beautifully crafted in every way, served by gorgeous production design and flattering cinematography, involved and intimate performances, and steady adherence to the source while at the same time elevating it in small ways for contemporary audiences. Technically, this is a world-class Blu-ray experience. Video and audio presentations are practically perfect and the included supplements serve the material well. Very highly recommended.