The eighth film adaptation of the classic novel by Louisa May Alcott published in 1886 is written and directed by Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird), features an all star cast and is a luminous delight.

The plot should be familiar by now, the story follows the March sisters as they grow from teenagers to women. Jo (Saoirse Ronan) is headstrong and wants to be a writer, Meg (Emma Watson) is an actress but wants to have a family, Amy (Florence Pugh) is an artist and whilst a little spoilt is far more likeable in this adaptation and Beth (Eliza Stanley) is the fragile pianist. The all star cast includes Laura Dern as the girls mother, Timothée Chalamet as Laurie, Meryl Streep as Aunt March, Bob Odenkirk as the girls father and Chris Cooper as Mr. Laurence.

I have to admit to being slightly pessimistic about this film as I’ve never enjoyed Little Women. I read the book in my university years and found it to be dull and not to my tastes and I never enjoyed the Winona Ryder led 1994 adaptation which I suppose was the adaptation for my era. So it was really refreshing to find myself thrilled by this version. It felt vibrant and joyful and the cast are absolutely amazing in their roles. It is not often that you can say Meryl Streep is outshone, but even in a role that allows her to be cantankerous she is still just an aside to the entire young cast and Laura Dern.

Gerwig uses a flashback structure to tell the story which allows her to juxtapose past and present events next to each other. This is most effective when concluding Beth’s story but it adds a different flavour for a story that has been told so often.

It’s hard to pin down a stand out in such an excellent cast but Florence Pugh (Midsommar, Fighting With My Family) continues her outstanding year and Ronan commands the lead role well. Perhaps the biggest success is how well the ensemble fit together.

If you have reservations I hope you can put them aside and discover what must be the definitive version of this story.