Customer Reviews
Kirsten Dunst Perfect - Otherwise, disappointing... - By: Morena, 14 Jun 2008 
First things first - watch it at all costs if only for a young Kirsten Dunst. I can't imagine a better Amy & whenever I go back to the book I always imagine herin the part. Full of life, adorable & hilarious. There's a bit I just love, where Jo says "Stop sulking, Amy, you look like a pigeon", & Amy leans back, rolls her eyes & gives a sulky couple of 'coo's. Sadly, she gets cut two thirds of the way through for a 'grown-up' Amy, who is all right but nothing to write home about.
I wanted to like it, but the film as a whole is pretty flawed. The pace is monotonous & some of the best scenes of the book are cut & replaced with dull dialogue. Because the film is of both Little Women books, a lot of character development is cut & so the first time old Mr. Laurence speaks is when he appears to give Beth a piano, apparently apropos of nothing.
The casting, apart from Kirsten, left me with a lot to be desired. Romance fans, prepare to be disappointed by a completely bloodless Meg (who looks more like 30 than 16) & John Brooke. Claire Danes did as well as she could with a sadly under-written Beth. Winona Ryder makes a pretty good Jo, but Christian Bale was far too old to play Laurie (who is meant to be 15 at the start), & added a certain sleaziness to the character which I didn't care for.
A complete departure from the book was the character of Marmee (Susan Sarandon), here turned into a raging feminist, slipping into speeches on the evils of corsets left, right & centre. Were Marmee's morals considered too old-fashioned for the 90s, or what? Personally, I though she was fine the way she was, especially considering it's setin the 1860s. Luckily, there is still a sweetness to the character & at least they did bring out her principled side. (I also have to wonder how common it was for unmarried, un-engaged couples to launch into full-on snoggingin those days, because there's a fair bit of it here!).
However, I did like Jo's Professor Bhaer. The love story felt plausible despite the age gap.
This remake is Absolute perfection ! - By: Jay, 16 May 2007 
absolutely adored this remake of the classic story Little Women. I thought the whole movie was superb & perfectly cast & am really glad this remake was done. It was a great night at the movies.
Watching this movie made me enraptured with this time period & made me also want to know these people. The story wasn't changed & the movie's warmth & gentleness were still as luminous as ever. No flashiness at all just magnificent storytelling & it was really superb to see.
With so many movies oriented toward violence, anger, brutality etc Little Women is a breath of fresh air. I love all types of movies but where would we be without an occasional heartwarming, uplifting(at times) classic like this?
Everyone was flawlessin this but I must single out Danes, Sarrandon & one of my favorites Ms Winona! (Who else but Winona could have played Jo?).
If you haven't seen this yet you certainly should. Little women is another classic that never gets old. This remake is Absolute perfection !
Superbly Acted Classic - By: Erika Borsos, 08 Nov 2006 Louisa May Alcott's book has come to lifein vivid detail & beauty. The casting is superb. The four sisters are a pleasure to watch & view as they develop into young ladies who experience both the pleasures & pains of growing into adulthood. The film depicts the changesin each character from adolescence & the growing pains associated with making independent decisions based on their personalities & values. As young ladies with education who grew upin a household where their opinions were heard & mattered, they standin direct contrast with the majority of girls growing up at that time ...
In the attic, the sisters enact all the parts of a play which Jo had written ... it was a great moment when they invited Theodore Lawrence into their circle of friends. The individuality of each sister is quite evident. The film does a fine job of presenting each character, Jo, Meg, Beth, & Amy as unique individuals who blossom, each into her own personality, when they are forced to make choices & deal with building their own lives. The film shows the flow of everyday life around the time of the Civil War, when their father was serving as a soldier. The film does a wonderful job of showing the social structure & class differences of the era. The language, speech & manners of the times are well acted ...
The close bonds of sisterhood are threatened by Beth's illness, & eventual death. The film presents Jo, Meg & Amy as they develop into responsible adults with independent lives & interests apart from the cocoon of the family. Meg's courtship & eventual marriage to a school teacher/tutor is done well, especially the birth of their twins. Amy's ambitions of marrying into wealth & becoming a lady, & the value conflicts associated with this desire when she meets Theodore Lawrencein Paris is superbly done. Jo's move to livein New York at a boarding house, broadens her life experiences as she is challenged by Frederick, a German professor she bumps into by chance. Her wings are spread as she learns to fly solo within this new & challenging environment. Despite their differences, the sisters are forever connected by the bonds of family & love which makes the book & film an enduring classic. Erika Borsos [pepper flower]
One of my absolute favourite films - By: Laura Crawford, 28 Mar 2006 This movie is a truly heartwarming, emotional & touching story about the lives & loves of 4 sisters, who have been left poor while their father has gone off to fightin the American Civil War. There is no limit to the number of the times I can watch this film, & I can be sure that every time I do I'll be moved to tears! One of the things I like most about this film is the score - the music is what will make you cry, & really gives it a great sense of atmosphere. The acting is brilliant, my heart breaks every time I watch Laurie's proposal scene! If you like romance, period drama, or just a really good story, this is for you, buy it today!
PS. Gabriel Byrne is hotin this. (!!!)
Little Women is a classic film - By: , 26 Mar 2004 Little Women is a good film with great acting & a good cast. My favourite is Kirsten Dunst as the younger Amy. I think Winona Ryder is a good actress, but not well cast to play Jo (isn't Jo supposed to have grey eyes & be very tall?) I enjoyed this film & watched it twice. The special features are average, with 'the making of' included. The soundtrack is lovely & well suited for the film & storyline. I think overall the film is better than the book itself. I like the film better.
