Little Women 2018 Review: Major Spoilers Ahead
“Little Women” is a timeless tale. Like many others, I grew up with Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy. My first introduction to Louisa May Alcott’s classic wasn’t as a reader but through a movie screen. The Winona Ryder film held a special magic for me, terribly flawed ending included. So I wondered, could any other adaptation ever measure up to those high standards?
The 1994 movie cast had deeply moved me. Claire Danes made me cry as Beth, Kirsten Dunst enraged me as young Amy, and Winona Ryder’s portrayal of Jo was forever entertaining. The chemistry between Jo and Laurie was palpable, making their lack of a happy ending even more poignant. Even Gabriel Byrne managed to make Professor Bhaer somewhat bearable.
Given all this, I doubted that the new BBC/PBS miniseries could meet such intense expectations. However, when I learned that Heidi Thomas, known for “Call the Midwife,” was behind the screenplay, I felt some hope. The casting was impressive too—Emily Watson, Michael Gambon, and Angela Lansbury sounded perfect on paper.
I wanted this new version to be as good as the 1994 film. Each generation deserves its own rendition of “Little Women,” so I hoped for the best going into the BBC miniseries. Yet, just 30 minutes into the first episode, I felt something unexpected: boredom. Where was the emotion and the fun? The March sisters weren’t putting on plays or discussing their “burdens.”
Heidi Thomas has modernized Alcott’s morality novel for a secular 2018 audience. The religious undertones are still there, but something is missing. The famous book moments are present, yet they feel like mere moments; the true spirit of the novel barely surfaces. The miniseries lacks the quintessential American feel of one of American literature’s best children’s novels, perhaps because it was a British production.
That said, episodes 2 and 3 were much better, thanks to strong writing and an excellent cast. Let’s talk about the highlights.
The Cast
Maya Hawke, daughter of Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman, captured Jo March beautifully. She convincingly portrayed Jo’s tomboyish passion for writing and deep loyalty to her sisters. I can see her having a bright future as an actress based on this performance.
Emily Watson shone as Marmee, capturing both her softness and her often-ignored hardness. Like Jo, Marmee once had a bad temper, and Watson portrayed her efforts to manage her strong emotions wonderfully.
Jonah Hauer-King was perfect as Laurie, bringing a charm reminiscent of Jonathan Crombie’s Gilbert Blythe. However, this made Jo’s refusal of him and his subsequent pairing with Amy even more heartbreaking.
Angela Lansbury completely stole the show as Aunt March, especially in a powerful scene near the end of episode 3 that gave me goosebumps. She made Aunt March feel so real and human.
The Interpretation
Overall, the miniseries succeeded in following most of the favorite scenes from the book. Heidi Thomas’s writing was heartfelt and captured the period dialogue well. I also appreciated the modernization of Professor Bhaer. After his usual condescending remarks about Jo’s writing, she defends herself, and he apologizes—something that doesn’t happen in the original story.
Still, Professor Bhaer is not the romantic hero this adaptation tries to make him. Instead, he’s a paternal figure who teaches Jo to become a proper woman, leading her to give up her writing dreams to run a boys’ school. I still believe that if Jo couldn’t see Laurie as her soulmate, she should have pursued a literary career as a single woman, in true Louisa May Alcott fashion.
Beth’s character was likable, and her social anxiety was explored in an interesting way, though I didn’t feel as much emotion during her death as I’d expected. On the other hand, Amy’s portrayal by Kathryn Newton didn’t work for me. She played both young and older Amy, a creative choice that backfired. Young Amy’s antics, which are tolerable because of her age in the book, seemed affected and narcissistic when performed by an adult. By the time Amy marries Laurie, I could hardly stand it.
Overall Thoughts
“Little Women” 2018 is a beautiful period drama with excellent acting, writing, costumes, and set design. However, as an adaptation, it lacks that special magic. The spirit of a story is more important than the plot, and this miniseries misses capturing the true essence of “Little Women.”
What are your thoughts on the 2018 adaptation? Do you agree with me? Which version do you prefer? Let me know!
