The Masterpiece Film 'Little Women': A Story for All Women and (a Man) Like Me ~Dedicated to the Three Little Women Within Me.

By women

For women

A hymn to women

A film for women

As a man, I cried (lol)

The new film 'Little Women'

I believe this work has become a monumental achievement in 21st-century cinema for women.

'Little Women' Film Review
A story for all women and (a man) like me
~Dedicated to the three Little Women within me~

When I saw this film in the theater, the lingering effect was so profound that I didn't want to leave my seat for a while.

It was a masterpiece that far exceeded my expectations.

The original title is 'Little Women'.

It is a live-action adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's semi-autobiographical novel 'Little Women'.

It is a famous novel and has been adapted into films many times, so I think many of you are already familiar with it.

The first film adaptation of 'Little Women' I ever saw was the 1949 production.

I remember being overwhelmed by the dazzling beauty and heart-touching performance of Elizabeth Taylor, who was just starting her career, as the third sister.

Janet Leigh, who played the heroine in the shocking 'Psycho,' played the eldest sister, June Allyson the second sister, and Margaret O'Brien the youngest, and they all gave wonderful performances.

The center of the story is the second sister, Jo, who aspires to be a novelist, and this remains the same in the new film I am introducing here. Centered on Jo's perspective, it depicts her journey through various conflicts until she publishes the novel she wrote about her feelings for her family.

I remember enjoying the lively performances of the four sisters, but while it had the theme of female independence, it was a work with a strong sense of a good old-fashioned home drama.

Now,

Since this work is also based on the same original material, the core of the story is the same.

The 1860s, the era of the American Civil War.

It is the story of four sisters who live tough, albeit poor, lives while eagerly awaiting the return of their father, who served as a chaplain on the battlefield.

However, the perspective of the story is quite different from previous film adaptations.

The film alternates between the present, where the second sister Jo, played by Saoirse Ronan, struggles in New York to make her debut as a writer, and flashbacks of the days the four sisters spent living together.

Jo's perspective as a writer is brought to the forefront, making the narrative structure more three-dimensional and contemporary.

As the present and the flashbacks overlap, the true character and way of life of each of the four sisters emerge.

The four sisters are depicted so vividly that

while watching, you forget the period setting and feel as though you are being bathed in the vibrant energy of women breathing in the modern age.

The fact that the characters of the four sisters stand out so colorfully, as if they were alive right now, is surely due to the astonishing talent of Greta Gerwig, who also handled the screenplay.

The author, Alcott, released this work into a world dominated by the values of a male-dominated society, with the theme of "women's independence and way of life," bringing courage and inspiration to many women around the world. I feel her passion.

Greta Gerwig, who deeply admires her as a hero of her heart, demonstrates a brilliantly vivid sensibility,

and has completely reborn this classic original work, which has been loved around the world since it took the world by storm 150 years ago.

I was amazed by her genius sense for weaving stories in the film "Lady Bird," for which she received an Academy Award nomination for Best Director—only the fifth woman in history to do so (though that number is far too low)—and that work also shares the theme of women's independence and way of life, synchronizing with this film.

Greta Gerwig has easily transcended the label of a stylish independent female director,

and after watching this film, I felt that she has reached the realm of a master director who can helm a grand, classic human drama.

Honestly, I prefer Greta Gerwig's work overwhelmingly over Sofia Coppola, a female director with whom she is often compared.

While Sofia Coppola's work is so girly that I, as a man, feel completely left out, haha,

the works depicted by Greta Gerwig, while portraying the way women live, are filled with the intensity of a hymn to life that is full of the yearning to live, which is common to both men and women.

She possesses a sense of world-building that feels even greater.

I was astonished to find that this film reaches a level of grand humanism that transcends gender, to the point where even labeling it a "women's film" feels like an outdated concept.

She is truly a terrifyingly talented director.

She will surely be the director who wins the most Academy Awards in the 21st century.

In this work, she not only demonstrates exceptional storytelling but also perfectly integrates and elevates the cinematography, art direction, costumes, and soul-stirring human drama into a single, beautiful narrative.

It is truly a masterpiece of classic humanistic cinema.

And above all, the charm of this film lies in its dazzling all-star cast of women, centered around the four sisters.

In a word,

It is the Avengers of today's most brilliant actresses, haha.

First, Emma Watson as the eldest sister, Meg.

She wishes to marry a man she loves from the heart, even if they are poor.

Emma Watson, also known as a feminist and social activist, brings a sense of inner strength,

while her dignified beauty and radiating sincerity give this film a sense of class.

Saoirse Ronan as the second sister, Jo.

She is the protagonist of this film, but she is so incredible that I will talk about her later, haha.

Jo, who strives with all her might to become an independent novelist, is a woman aiming to be a writer in New York while receiving the full affection of her childhood friend, Laurie.

Eliza Scanlen as the third sister, Beth.

Though she is frail and cannot live like her other sisters, she is a kind-hearted woman who feels others' pain before anyone else and finds solace in music.

My heart is stirred by the piano melodies she plays, and tears fall naturally.

Florence Pugh as the fourth sister, Amy.

Innocent, strong-willed, and artistic, she is always clashing with her second sister, Jo, in a display of raw competitiveness.

While aspiring to be a painter, she struggles between her dreams and the teachings of her aunt, who insists she should compromise and marry a wealthy man.

She garnered significant attention for her stunning performance in the sensationally hit horror film "Midsommar,"

and she also appeared in the Marvel Universe's "Black Widow"; she is currently the most on-fire young actress,

but regardless, whenever she appears on screen, she radiates such an explosive presence and expressive power that your eyes are drawn to her in an instant.

It is no wonder she was brilliantly nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress; she leaves a powerful impression.

And then there is Laura Dern as the mother of the four sisters.

She gives a deeply nuanced performance as a mother who, while waiting for her husband to return from the war, embraces her four daughters with noble and profound love.

In the same year, she played a sharp divorce lawyer in "Marriage Story" (which was also amazing!) and successfully won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Furthermore, the legendary Meryl Streep plays the aunt, a figure who embodies the traditional values of a male-dominated society, pressuring the sisters by insisting that a woman's happiness lies in marrying a wealthy man.

There is no need for explanation. The atmosphere changes the moment she appears.

Boasting a record 22 Academy Award nominations and 3 wins, she is the queen of the film industry in both name and reality.

The tension when Meryl and Saoirse, whose values are polar opposites, face off looks exactly like a massive wall standing in front of Saoirse, the leading candidate for the next generation of Academy Award records, haha.

Timothée Chalamet, who plays Laurie, the man who loves Jo, also demonstrates a magnificent presence while surrounded by the sparkling cast of actresses.

Since being nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his delicate and wonderful performance in "Call Me by Your Name," he has been called the next DiCaprio due to his beauty and acting ability,

but in this film, he was wonderful, perfectly absorbing the energy of the four sisters while being filled with a naive and precarious charm.

I think many women will have their hearts stolen by his art-like, beautiful boyish appearance.

The confession scene, in particular, where he conveys his feelings to Jo,

can be called one of the best scenes in any recent romance film,

and the subsequent turn of fate stabs right through the heart.

It is also a first-class work as a poignant love story that shakes the depths of your heart.

But above all, Saoirse Ronan, who played the second sister Jo, was spectacular.

With her strong-willed, energetic nature and overflowing passion for creativity, her presence is so overwhelming that it leaves the viewer stunned.

While carrying the struggle of 'what is happiness for a woman' that many women felt back then—and still feel today—she challenges traditional values head-on and pursues her dreams.

In particular, the sight of her sprinting through New York while gathering up her heavy dress is filled with an exhilarating feeling, as if she is carving out the dawn of a new era.

Although Saoirse was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for this film, and has already been nominated for an Academy Award three times at the young age of 25,

following their previous collaboration on 'Lady Bird' with Gerwig, the two have become a perfect golden duo.

make it impossible not to have high expectations for their future collaborations.

I am moved by Jo's passion for creation, which she refuses to give up even when she brings her novel to a publisher and is told by an editor—a symbol of a male-dominated society—things unrelated to the essence of the work, such as 'rewrite it so it sells' or 'readers won't be satisfied unless the heroine gets married.'

But when you think about it, working wholeheartedly to carve out what you want to do in your own life should be a matter of course regardless of gender, yet it is so difficult to achieve.

You might be stunned to realize that,

in a sense, the essence of things hasn't changed that much from 150 years ago to today.

The theme that runs through this work is,

what is happiness for a woman,

and what is a rich life?

For Jo, it is freedom.

It is to live independently while expressing a passion for creation.

The theme of 'women's independence' that this work possesses has, for over 150 years,

It is a universal theme that has been told over and over again.

But conversely, the fact that it remains difficult even after being told for 150 years

is also a poignant reminder that society has not yet become that way.

And in this work, several forms of happiness for women that everyone can imagine are depicted.

Since I am a man, I cannot stand here and

eloquently lecture on what women's happiness is.

However, in the first place, terms like 'women's happiness,' 'women's independence,' 'female director,' and 'women's film'

—all words that are prefixed with 'women' and used as pronouns—

exist because a male-dominated society that unfairly takes itself as the default has continued for hundreds of years.

We don't go out of our way to say 'men's happiness,' 'men's independence,' 'male director,' or 'men's film,'

and the fact that the 'women' prefix still deeply functions as a theme shows this unchanging, stark unfairness.

Also, the forms of women's happiness taken up in this work are:

Marrying a financially wealthy man (the fourth sister, Amy),

Chasing one's own dreams to become independent (the second sister, Jo / the fourth sister, Amy),

Or modestly protecting the home as a good wife and wise mother (the eldest sister, Meg).

These are the types of happiness for women that anyone can think of.

But,

isn't that format already outdated?

What is happiness?

What is a rich life?

If you can truly believe that from the bottom of your heart

no matter what form it may take

that is undeniable happiness and richness

and isn't that enough on its own?

A while ago, during the broadcast of the NHK morning drama 'Yell,' there was some discussion about whether it was greedy for the heroine to pursue both her dream of singing and happiness in family life.

In essence, if you want both, you should just pursue both.

This is the natural state of the human heart.

However, balancing both while living in society is extremely difficult, and the reality is that the male-dominated social structure, rather than helping, still hinders this.

I believe it is difficult to balance because society is too male-oriented and unkind.

Realistically, one has no choice but to view life in the long term and somehow create a bespoke life by changing the balance at various stages.

Your values may change as the years go by.

The things you hold dear may also change.

You might suffer a serious illness or lose a loved one, which could completely change your outlook on life.

Therefore

What is happiness for a woman?

What is a rich life for a woman?

That question itself

is a rigid legacy of history

that gets caught up in the paralysis of stereotypical thinking.

The 21st century, where unchanging social structures, economic disparities, and gender gaps seem even more highlighted, is surprisingly no different from the lives of women in the 1860s.

Regarding the disparity in gender consciousness between men and women before that, I spoke quite candidly in a previous cinema essay titled 'Bombshell' and the Deep Chasm of Gender Consciousness.

It all stems from the deep-rooted nature of male consciousness that hasn't changed in over 150 years, and it is all connected.

Transforming such social structures requires strong efforts not only from women but also from men, and it is something we must all strive to change together, but

if we just wait for society to change significantly,

our lives will be over.

After all, it hasn't changed in over 150 years!

I cannot surpass this theme any further,

so I will leave it to an expert.

Therefore, I would like to look at what we share as human beings, beyond gender.

For women,

(and for me, a man as well),

what is happiness?

What is a rich life?

It is,

if you feel happy yourself, that is enough.

If you feel that you are rich, that is enough.

I think that is all there is to it.

There are times when you might envy others.

There are times when you are struggling financially and cannot even think about such things.

There is no permanent state of being happy forever, and

There are no unchanging emotions that remain a rich state of mind forever.

Without categorizing them as marriage, money, or independence,

I embrace the colors of every aspect of life mixed together.

Even if you choose love, you may struggle with money,

Even if you gain money, you may lose sight of love,

Even if you fulfill your dreams, you may feel a sense of emptiness,

But,

With all the elements of happiness piled on,

I think it would be boring,

If life just kept going well.

While carrying painful things that make you want to cry,

Or maddening longings,

Or sorrows that leave you at a loss,

Or despair that feels like being shut in total darkness,

Or anxieties that seem to erode your heart,

The tangible feeling of being alive when you feel relieved,

The unexpected tears when touched by someone's kindness,

The warmth when being held,

The pleasant fatigue after giving your all,

And the moving experiences that make your heart tremble.

Such formless emotions, both positive and negative,

Appear and disappear, one after another, appear and disappear,

Appear and disappear, appear and disappear,

And in the end, I myself disappear.

I think human beings are truly amazing.

Even though we face the cruel fate of 100% certain death,

We can still embrace hope and passion to enjoy this life.

The gradation of happiness and richness is colored by tens of thousands,

No, by an infinite spectrum of emotions and memories.

Isn't all of that what richness truly is?

This film has a magical power that makes such infinite richness overflow from the depths of the heart.

Especially from the development in the second half leading up to the final scene,

Seeing each of them burning with the intensity of life,

My heart was deeply shaken, as if it were being carved out,

And with a sense of being asked once again,

'So, how will you live your life?'

I felt an overwhelming urge to write something!

A desire for creation welled up from the depths of my heart like magma.

The columns and essays contributed about this film,

Are almost all written by women, but

Men, including myself, are often left on the sidelines.

Or perhaps relegated to a supporting role, haha.

It is easy for us to end up as such,

but I truly believe that is not the case.

This film is my story for every woman,

and it is also my story as a man.

The reason I am writing this cinema essay is

because there are three women living inside me.

What inspired me to write this cinema essay

was the influence of my mother.

I believe my mother is a natural-born artist.

Having loved reading books since she was a child,

even as an adult, for decades,

at a pace of over ten books a week,

she would read through essays, collections, and books that caught her interest,

using every family library card to read books one after another.

My mother also loved singing since she was little,

went on to study vocal music at a music college, and was someone for whom singing in front of others was always natural.

I heard that she was scouted to be a 'singing sister' on a commercial television station at the time,

but she decided to marry my father while still a student and did not pursue a path in vocal music.

She continued to work as a piano teacher while raising my sister and me.

It seems she has loved movies since she was a child,

and even recently, she has been recording every movie since WOWOW started broadcasting,

having likely watched over 10,000 films.

I have only watched about 3,500 so far,

so I still cannot compete with my mother.

She is 80 years old, but she still loves reading the movie magazine SCREEN.

I suspect she has already checked out Timothée Chalamet too, haha.

Personally, I have only read a few dozen essays in my life,

but my mother has read over a thousand essays across every conceivable genre.

Even recently, I listen to her thoughts on essays and ask her for author recommendations.

All of my mother's sensitivity has been passed down to me.

The second person is my sister.

It is due to the influence of my sister, who is nearly ten years older than me.

Since I was little, I would follow along and watch the manga and movies she was into.

At the time, what sparked my path toward filmmaking was

watching 'When Harry Met Sally...' with my sister.

This film gave birth to my dream of becoming a filmmaker who captures the nuances of men and women.

Even though there was an age gap where she was a college student when I was in elementary school,

my sister never once treated me like a child.

For some reason, my older sister would talk to me about life, love, and various other themes without holding anything back.

Even after we became adults, when I had just started my first job and was on the verge of depression because things weren't going well,

it was also my sister who spent hours listening to my concerns and taught me that that job wasn't the only world out there.

She was also the first person to praise the cinema essays I wrote, giving me the strength to continue.

My sister is a woman with a strong sense of justice, and she feels anger and conflict toward the absurdities of society far more deeply than I do.

Such ways of feeling and thinking constantly provide me with a sense of awareness, preventing my values from becoming rigid.

And finally,

my wife.

Many of the subjects I write about in my movie reviews and cinema essays

incorporate my wife's perspective.

I am a very subjective and narrow-minded person,

so I tend to become self-absorbed,

but I always show my writing to my wife when I finish.

Unless it is truly terrible, she doesn't say anything at all.

Usually, she just silently hands my smartphone back to me (laughs).

The highest praise I have received for anything I have written so far

is the phrase, "It's not bad." (laughs).

When she says this, I feel quite confident (laughs).

Thanks to my wife, my perspective, which tends to be closed off,

is given the opportunity to see the world as it is, rather than just conceptually.

I am writing cinema essays

in order to write an essay that my wife will say came from the heart.

Of course, the foundation is for ultimate self-satisfaction.

On top of that, I also want to earn my wife's approval!

I'm being quite greedy, haha.

Even if I never reach it in my lifetime, the higher the goal, the more it is worth aiming for.

That is why, even though I am a man,

there exists within me a woman woven by my mother, my sisters, and my wife.

There are three Little Women inside me, too.

So please, let me, a man, talk about this film that celebrates women.

Don't leave me out, haha.

In the film, there is a line that says, 'I am a person of the middle ground, whether man or woman.'

Because I am a man,

because I am a woman,

I want to acknowledge those differences and characteristics,

and at times, as a human being,

I want to feel and connect from the center,

to become a person who acts like a bridge.

That is what I believe.

This work is for all women and

Dedicated to all men born of women

it is a masterpiece that celebrates life.

And for every woman who reads this article

and who writes herself,

this work will undoubtedly become an overwhelming, impactful number one for many of you in the last few years.

If you haven't seen it yet, I highly recommend you watch this film as soon as possible.

It will undoubtedly leave a significant mark on your life.

You will surely want to write down your own thoughts on note right away.

And in this one-time-only life,

whether it be the things you love, books, music, or movies,

while wholeheartedly enjoying those things you love so much,

it will be a great catalyst for you to start walking through life powerfully,

lighting a flame of hope, courage, and joy in your heart.

It will be a great turning point.

A world filled with infinite richness awaits you there.

Bathed in all of Jo's struggles and decisions,

which Saoirse Ronan expressed with all her might,

your soul will surely tremble.

From the moment you finish watching the film,

let's unleash our overflowing creativity to the fullest.

Happiness and prosperity, the moment you become conscious of them,

they become entangled in the rigid forms shaped by society and common sense.

If you watch this film,

you will surely be able to blow those forms away.

A tremendous sense of exhilaration and liberation awaits you.

Let's start from there.

The 21st century is your own era.

Now is the time to open the door.

Behold this great masterpiece that gives you the power to live your best life!