Support group for those who didn’t enjoy the new Little Women movie

[PuppyMonkey]

SPOILERS!!!!

I feel guilty for even DARING to say this in RL, everybody seems to love it, it’ll win all the awards and Oscars and everything, of course it will.

And I did like some of the performances and stuff.

But God, I hated what they did with the flashbacks and flash forwards. I went with two girls who should have loved this and from talking to them afterwards, they clearly didn’t understand a lot of it. Eg that Beth was ill and recovered but got ill again and died. They though Jo was dreaming the bit where she recovered.

And they didn’t realise that Meg had children.

I know I know, they might be just a bit slow on the uptake , but it shouldn’t be a confusing story.

They took the heart out of the story imho. What’s worse, they made it boring.

There’s a scene towards the end where Jo writes her book and has all the pages spread out on the floor, getting them in the right order. IF ONLY GRETA HAD DONE THAT WHEN SHE PUT HER FILM TOGETHER.

I’m sorry. But I need to know I’m not alone.

I was brought up watching the 1949 movie with June Allyson and Elizabeth Taylor... it's all I know as I've never read the book. It's one of my favourite movies and I still cry when I watch it... I've seen it about 100 times! I watched that Winona Ryder version once and hated it... I can't watch another!

Loved the book. Will never forgive Amy and Laurie.

Oddly enough, though I find Emma Watson beyond bland, I could watch Ms Ronan’s singular expressions and the tilt of her head all day.

The other film was also unwatchable.

Perhaps I’ll never see ‘my’ version ...

My dd (11) has never read the book and did get confused by the jumping around, I had to whisper quite a few explanations along the way.
I thought most of the casting was fine but Prof B was far too young and good looking.

TBF I think the Amy in this version is the only good thing about it. Not familiar with Florence Pugh tbh, but she definitely steals the film - not that this is saying much

I wasnt confused about the jumping around, maybe because I read all 3 books several times as a teenager so thought they had started with the second book and flashed back to the first. I understand how it could be confusing though on a first watch. I did get distracted by Saul Goodman turning up as Papa and didnt like Emma Watson either. Shes a really boring actress but loved Saorsie Ronan. She was how I imagined Jo would be. I tried reading the first book again as an adult and it was so twee I couldn't read it, so I thought the film was better.

That was just the ending the publisher bloke insisted on, that Jo agreed to write to ensure the book got published. I think it was heavily implied that IRL she didn’t marry anyone (hence the cool and gloomy shots of her gazing out the window looking thoughtful juxtaposed with the warm, cheery shots of the Prof and the kids and everyone all happy in the “fairytale” ending).
Yes that was what I got from it. Jo in the books does marry the professor and has 2 or 3 sons iirc so the film in that sense follows the books. Louisa May Alcott never married though and Jo is rumoured to be semi autobiographical as a character.

I’m boycotting it because (a) I love the Winona Ryder version from the 90s and (b) I can’t watch anything with smug Emma Watson in it. She ruins everything she’s in because she just cannot act.

Hang on, she didn’t marry the prof and open the school?

This movie doesn’t seem to work unless you have read the books ( I haven’t)

I don’t think so, God knows tbh @Whoops75 🤪

Hmmm I'm glad I haven't seen it yet. I also don't love the book particularly or how it's sold as a great female voice thing etc.

Agree with the Guardian piece about the constant re-making of 'classic' books. There's a whole of world out there!

And agree wholeheartedly with PP - Laurie would never fall for Jo's sister. What a load of bollocks!

DEADLY boring.
Despite fantastic photography and some good performances.
A supposedly feminist film all about marriage and frocks.
Louisa May Alcott never married though and Jo is rumoured to be semi autobiographical as a character.
As I learned on another thread, LMA came from a family active in both the suffragette movement and the Underground Railway, Harriet Tubman' (and co) route for those escaping slavery in the South. This would have been a FAR more interesting film than class manoeuvring, frocks and marriage. With insultingly token throwaway references to Abolition.
Utterly twee.

I went to see it having never read the book or watched an adaptation.
It was hard to keep up with the story, I’ve only pieced it together after googling later.
I didn’t realise I wasn’t meant to like Amy.

The costumes and hair saved it.

I don't remember enjoying the book when I read it as a child , I found it hard going but surprised myself that I found the film enjoyable

Glad I don’t write movie reviews

I just about got that after she died there was a flash back because she was alive again

Do ye think it will win awards??

I preferred Cats (runs and hides)

Well I did enjoy the film but it wasn't perfect. I didn't mind the jumping about in time, in fact it made Beth's death all the more poignant, but I can see how if you didn't already know the story that might be confusing. Laurie was beautiful but it looked like Amy could eat him and fit him in one leg. Amy was all wrong - gravelly voiced and womanly. She should have been whiny and girlish. Emma Watson was awful - her American accent and her acting. Saoirse Ronan was a revelation - what an actor. I adored her. I also personally loved the Beth. She wasn't wet, for once, but had an inner stillness as Beth should have. Prof Bhaer all wrong too - he is meant to be about 40 and it's an intellectual match, not a smouldering physical one. He's also not supposed to be French. But of course Alcott got the ending wrong anyway so that's not the film's fault - Jo should of course marry Laurie. For all the much-vaunted feminism of the book (for its time), the school Jo eventually sets up is for boys, not both sexes. But for SR alone, and the glorious scenery, and the fact I needed a good cry and certainly got one, I'm glad I saw this film.

I am boycotting it. I boycotted the 1990s version too. In my world there are only the books and the original film version.

I love the 1990s Winona Ryder, Susan Sarandon, Christian Bale one, so I’ve been avoiding the new one, I was starting to get tempted but this thread had made me want to stand firm. And to go home and watch the 90s one

I don’t think Beth’s death was at all poignant in this, it was like they couldn’t be arsed with it so flashed confusingly back and forward for two minutes and then had Marmie cry in the kitchen and then.. cut to funeral scene. Left me cold.

I loved how they did the death in the Winona version, OTT and sentimental - proper full on snotty crying I did for that one.

Hang on, she didn’t marry the prof and open the school?
No in the books she marries the prof who is much older than portrayed here

supposedly feminist film all about marriage and frocks.
Not sure why its meant to be a feminist film. Have we got to the point where any film that features a mainly female cast that passes the Bechdel test is feminist? That's quite a low bar!

But at the end of the film it is Jo and the Prof's school! Isn't it?

I loved the film. I was concerned the jumping back and forth would confuse DD (20) but she asked me if I thought she was stupid when I queried this.

I thought they made a big deal of Beth's death which pleased me, and that they gave extra depth to Amy which made me like and understand her more.

And I thought the cinematography was superb. The beach shots were very Monet and the city shots very Renoir.

In fact, I'll get my coat ...

Yeah, sling your hook Ursula with your understanding it and everything.

But Beth does get ill, then get better, then get ill again, then dies. That's actually what happens in the book.

This is perhaps not the support group for me...

I know she does Lonny. What I said was the girls who came with me to see this film didn’t understand that, they thought it was all Jo dreaming about Beth. Because of all the confusing flashing back and forth.

Have I mentioned I hated all the flashing back and forth?

A pp mentioned Harriet Tubman there is a new film about this remarkable woman, and I think the lead actress in it is up for an Oscar ( although I’ve lost interest in the oscars since Paltrow unfairly won )