LITTLE WOMEN

Saoirse Ronan     Emma Watson     Florence Pugh     Eliza Scanlon     Laura Dern

Timothee Chalamet     Tracy Letts     Bob Odenkirk     Chris Cooper     James Norton     Meryl Streep

     Greta Gerwig updates this traditional story based on Louisa May Alcott’s book for girls by emphasizing the March girls’ ambitions, particularly those that depart from the standard get-married-have children tale.  Most notable are the lines inspired by Gerwig’s conversation with Meryl Streep, who plays Aunt March in the film, during first conceptualizations of the film.  The lines are spoken by Amy March (Pugh), the youngest sister, complaining about women not having rights—they can’t own anything; if they leave a marriage, even property they had before marriage, even their children, would belong to the husband.

     Much of the film, however, adheres to Alcott’s novels.  Four sisters are being brought up by their mother while their father is serving as a chaplain during the Civil War.  Marmee (Hurd) is a strong female model for them, managing—with the help of the two older daughters Jo (Ronan) and Meg (Watson)—financially, and beyond that, instilling strong values (helping the sick and the poor, with a strong commitment to forgiveness) in her daughters.  

     The family reflects the temper of the times, particularly where women are concerned. What makes the story most interesting are the differences in personality and temperament among the four sisters, and how these play out with family and friends.  Jo departs most from the norm by pursuing independence at almost any cost, Meg by marrying for love over “prospects”, Beth (Scanlon) by her musical ability, and artistic Amy at first by her self-entitlement and later by her practicality. 

     A bonus in this rendition of Little Women comes at the end when Jo is clearly taking charge of her career by cannily negotiating with the editor Mr. Dashwood (Letts) on a cash advancement, copyright, and share of the profits.  (Although she does have to make one major compromise so that the story ending will sell.)

     Yorick Le Saux’s cinematography with its warm, bright palette and vividness of interior and outside scenes contributes majorly to the production, helping to give it soul, along with the pleasant, era-capturing score of Alexandre Desplat. Saoirse Ronan’s performance is exemplary, attaining the promise of her work in Hanna, Brooklyn, and Atonement, and being a major force in capturing our attention.  She is well supported by Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen, and Laura Dern as sisters and mother.  As love interest to more than one sister, Timothee Chalamet glitters as an honorable heartthrob not just for the sisters, but for some audience members as well.  It is a treat to see Tracy Letts playing the discerning publisher with a soft heart, following on his bombastic performance as Ford in Ford v Ferrari. Likewise, seeing Chris Cooper as a benevolent, wealthy Mr. Laurence after the revolting father he played in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood is refreshing.  Finally, Meryl Streep proves her value once again in playing a rich dowager who is bound to the past.

     Perhaps because I personally was never an impassioned devotee of Little Women, I’m not enthralled with Greta Gerwig’s remake of the classical tale.  Interesting and entertaining as it is, it makes me question remakes in general. That is, this tale has been told on stage, on television, and in film almost continuously since 1933.  This version, although set in the 19^thcentury, is meant to capture the sentiments of today.  And it does, with flair to a great extent.  I just have a problem with telling a story already well told.

19^thCentury women being little women—already a tale well told.

Grade:  B                        By Donna R. Copeland

MIDSOMMAR

Florence Pugh     Jack Reynor     Will Poulter     William Jackson-Harper

Vilhelm Blomgran     Archie Madekwe     Ellora Torchia

     Midsommar brings to mind romantic associations to a festival, summer/winter solstice, and cultural traditions.  How much writer-director Ari Aster (Heredity) depicts actual traditions in this film and how much he embroiders them with his own fantasies, I’m not sure, but suspect that most of what is seen in the film is from Aster’s own imagination. The film certainly goes way, way out in its characterizations and plot, so that by the end you know you’ve seen a freaky, quintessential horror show.  It’s helped along by Pawel Pogorzelski’s eloquent, captivating, and beautifully composed cinematography and The Haxan Cloak’s music that draws from genres ranging from the medieval to the hauntingly eerie to the most dissonant modern.  

     Midsommar begins as a thoroughly American kind of drama, with a couple, Dani (Pugh) and Christian (Reynor), who are going through ups and downs.  She is very needy, especially after a tragedy in her family, and his friends urge him to ditch her for someone else.  A trip to Sweden might be the answer.  Pelle (Blomgran) has invited his close friends [Christian, Mark (Poulter), and Josh (Jackson-Harper)] to go with him to his native Sweden for the Midsommar festival.  He grew up in a commune, so they would all be welcomed by his huge family. They hadn’t counted on Dani going with them, but she wangles an invitation, and Pelle lets her know how happy he is that she is coming along.

     The American group arrives in Sweden, and are taken to country fields sprinkled with people who turn out to be part of Pelle’s large family.  He introduces them all—ever the gallant host—and his friends are awestruck.  They will be even more awestruck when they impulsively decide to trip on drugs supplied by the communal community.  Dani is reluctant to imbide, but under peer pressure gives in; only to re-experience the tragedy she just endured.  But she gets hold of herself, and proceeds with the others to Pelle’s commune, where there are throngs of people all dressed in white.

     The rest of the story is about what the friends encounter and experience there, which ranges from the simple (helping cook meals) to the esoteric (engaging—not necessarily willingly—in bizarre rituals).  The viewer likely will experience what most of the American characters experience—a curiosity followed by unease and anxiety, even hysteria, and, finally, horror.

     Some may find comfort in preordained events—at least from godly figures (there’s nothing you can do about it, so you can’t be blamed)—but when they’re orchestrated by controllers with an ulterior motive, it can be the most unsettling and horrible experience one can imagine.  That is what Ari Aster does with this film.  He subjects his characters—and maybe viewers as well—to events they’ve never dreamed of, prompting us all to wonder what we would do in those circumstances.

     After her stint as Katherine in Lady Macbeth (2016) and here, Florence Pugh establishes herself as an actress with range and talent.  That being said, her role, as written, does not provide much of a showcase moment.  It’s actually true for all the characters; actors are not given opportunities to shine. Aster’s intention appears to be emphasizing story over characterization, specifically in the contrasts between cultures.  He jabs Americans a bit in their general disregard for tradition and in their inclination to break rules (a bit of “ugly Americans”), but the Swedes’ traditions as shown here evoke strong opinions about attitudes about death and individual agency.

     The film’s two-hour twenty-minute length may stretch the viewer’s tolerance; certainly, some of the over-the-top last scenes could have been cut, and making a better film.

A cross-cultural trip like one you have probably never seen.

Grade:  B                                    By Donna R. Copeland

LADY MACBETH

Florence Pugh   Christopher Fairbank   Cosmo Jarvis   Bill Fellows   Paul Hilton   Naomi Acki

      Oh, what a fine production, poetically capturing the human character so completely and mysteriously it’s transfixing to the very end.  This is more a takeoff of the Shakespearean play than a re-interpretation, but contains many of the same elements of obsession, cold desperation, guilt, and betrayal.  Except for the well experienced Christopher Fairbank who plays Boris, the husband of Katherine (Pugh), the director, writer and most of the cast have worked primarily in television, which may account for the sense of freshness.  But it can also be attributed to the novel by Nikolai Leskov on which the screenplay was adapted. 

     Leskov, originally from a wealthy family who subsequently lost its estate, traveled widely in Russia, acquainting himself with all kinds of people.  He was a novelist, short-story writer, playwright, and journalist.  Politically, his sympathies were with Leon Tolstoy, and his truthfulness made him a pariah in some circles, but he was admired not only by Tolstoy but also by Maxim Gorky and Anton Chekhov.  His novel, Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk District, was ignored at first but later praised for containing illuminating stories about female characters from all classes of society.

     The movie opens with the young Katherine being dressed by her handmaid Anna (Acki) on what appears to be a wealthy estate.  She is married to an acerbic older man who shows no interest in her, and their bedroom scenes set the stage for the bizarreness that is to come.  Katherine is impressive in her quiet politeness and compliance with Alexander (Hilton), her husband, although she appears to be very self-possessed and even commanding with Anna and other workers on the estate.  “Are you cold?” asks Anna.  “No, I’m quite thick-skinned.”  She relishes “taking the air” by going outdoors.

     While she’s out, she comes upon one of the field workers, Sebastian (Jarvis), and at first she is authoritative because he has clearly not been working, but there is something about him…and she is going to seek him out again.  A pot begins to boil, and instead of the Shakespearean Lady Macbeth saying, “Out, out, damned spot”, this Lady Macbeth will say, “Out, out, anyone who stands in my way.”  The lovers playfully quote a psalm praising a figure (the Messiah) who comes “from heaven” “to save me”, “my debt to pay.”  Will Sebastian be that Messiah for Katherine as she hopes?

     The story gets embellished with the maid (Acki) becoming mute, the discovery of a ward of Boris, and multiple deaths.  It’s intriguing, comical, and suspenseful all at the same time.  Florence Pugh is a real star in evoking all the associations the viewer will have in watching her.  The film is mostly on her shoulders, and she carries it ably.  Praise to William Oldroyd and Alice Birch for bringing this innovative and captivating story to us.

Take only a peek and you won’t be able to stop watching this captivating film.

Grade:  A                                    By Donna R. Copeland