While I wasn't in love with the Winona Ryder version of the movie, I honestly didn't care much for this adaptation, either.
The non-linear storytelling was a great device for telling a well loved story. Jo March rules the show and the costumes and hair (especially) definitely deserves all the lauds they got.
As far as the characters are concerned. Jo's character is brilliantly portrayed by Saorsie. Timothee Chalomet is not used to the full extent of his talent as Teddy. Meryl Streep does a creditable Maggie Smith. Laura Dern is meh! The rest of the cast are forgettable.
There are three big issues with this adaptation 1/ the character development is non-existent except surprisingly Amy's. Why Meg and Jo fall in love with the men they do is baffling! We don't see enough of John or Freidrich to make sense of their choices.
2/ it's too long of a story (Little Women and parts of Good Wives) to be condensed into 2 hrs. Why were some of the tenderest and most brilliant of the scenes scenes cut out (e.g. Teddy and Amy's declaration of love in a boat is brilliant as written - here we get an awkward kiss with zero chemistry between the two) and terrible out-of-place modern day dialogue included? Weren't Louisa Alcott's words adequate? Did Greta feel she wrote a better love scene than Alcott?
3/ the harsh monologues by Jo and Amy regarding women's rights were jarring. The handling was abrupt to say the least.
One feels the sense of the adaptation being rather rushed and trying to tell a long story in a short time. It's a dissatisfying feeling.
The non-linear storytelling was a great device for telling a well loved story. Jo March rules the show and the costumes and hair (especially) definitely deserves all the lauds they got.
As far as the characters are concerned. Jo's character is brilliantly portrayed by Saorsie. Timothee Chalomet is not used to the full extent of his talent as Teddy. Meryl Streep does a creditable Maggie Smith. Laura Dern is meh! The rest of the cast are forgettable.
There are three big issues with this adaptation 1/ the character development is non-existent except surprisingly Amy's. Why Meg and Jo fall in love with the men they do is baffling! We don't see enough of John or Freidrich to make sense of their choices.
2/ it's too long of a story (Little Women and parts of Good Wives) to be condensed into 2 hrs. Why were some of the tenderest and most brilliant of the scenes scenes cut out (e.g. Teddy and Amy's declaration of love in a boat is brilliant as written - here we get an awkward kiss with zero chemistry between the two) and terrible out-of-place modern day dialogue included? Weren't Louisa Alcott's words adequate? Did Greta feel she wrote a better love scene than Alcott?
3/ the harsh monologues by Jo and Amy regarding women's rights were jarring. The handling was abrupt to say the least.
One feels the sense of the adaptation being rather rushed and trying to tell a long story in a short time. It's a dissatisfying feeling.