“LITTLE WOMEN” — 3 stars — Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen, Laura Dern, Timothee Chalamet; PG (thematic elements and brief smoking); in general release; running time: 134 minutes

SALT LAKE CITY — Fans of Louisa May Alcott’s classic 19th-century novel “Little Women” have several options when it comes to movie adaptations — Greta Gerwig’s take on Alcott’s story is No. 7.

That list doesn’t include a Japanese anime series from the 1980s, the BBC miniseries from 2017 and last year’s modern retelling of “Little Women” that was filmed in Utah.

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The latest “Little Women” returns to the book’s Civil War-era roots, though, and features a decorated all-star cast as well as up-and-comers. Gerwig’s film isn’t quite as original as “Lady Bird” — the director’s last outing — but that’s largely because Gerwig does such a great job keeping “Little Women” true to its time period.

The film opens with an adult Jo March (Saoirse Ronan) struggling to break through as a writer in New York City. A publisher named Dashwood (Tracy Letts) sees potential in her writing but throws down the gauntlet, demanding work that is short and spicy — something that will end with the heroine either dead or married.

Saoirse Ronan, Laura Dern, Eliza Scanlen, Florence Pugh and Emma Watson in Greta Gerwig’s “Little Women.” | Wilson Webb/Columbia Pictures

This scene sets the tone for the rest of the film, which, rather than taking the traditional linear approach, pivots back and forth in time as it goes through the well-known storyline and tackles themes of female empowerment, creativity and independence.

Jo is one of the four March sisters who grew up in Massachusetts during the Civil War. With their father fighting for the Union army, the girls are raised by their mother Marmee (Laura Dern), who puts a special emphasis on charity (an early scene in the film shows the girls packing up their holiday breakfast and delivering it to a struggling family nearby).

Meg (Emma Watson) is the eldest, and after a brief flirtation with the debutant set, she settles down for a humble existence with a teacher named John Brooke (James Norton). Amy (Florence Pugh) is the youngest, captivated by a passion for the visual arts that eventually takes her to Europe. Sickly Beth (Eliza Scanlen) is in the middle, talented at the piano, but also removed from the energetic chaos around her. 

Of course, family friend Laurie (Timothee Chalamet) is key to the drama, joining the girls in their creative teenage exploits and wrestling with his affections for Jo before getting involved with Amy after Jo rejects him.

And then there’s Meryl Streep playing the elitist benefactor Aunt March, who holds out that at least one of the girls will have the good sense to attach herself to an upper-class future.

Jo’s dogged pursuit of elusive writing success drives the film, woven together with the twists and turns of her tumultuous romantic encounters with Laurie and Friedrich Bhaer (Louis Garrel), a professor who offers her some pointed constructive criticism when she’s in New York.

Emma Watson, Saoirse Ronan, Eliza Scanlen and Florence Pugh in “Little Women.”
Emma Watson, Saoirse Ronan, Eliza Scanlen and Florence Pugh in Columbia Pictures’ “Little Women.” | Wilson Webb, Columbia Pictures

As expected, Ronan’s performance as Jo is on point, and it’s a natural selection to go alongside her turns in 2015’s “Brooklyn” and Gerwig’s “Lady Bird,” both of which netted her Oscar nominations.

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Chalamet is a standout as Laurie, and Pugh gets quite a bit of screen time as Amy, who has always been one of the more controversial characters in the classic story. Gerwig uses the creation of Jo’s book — a parallel to Alcott’s own life story — to tie the film together and send a critical message about the way we want to consume our stories, and the struggle to share our own.

Gerwig’s direction is energetic, and the production doesn’t sacrifice any period charm. The only real odd step may be Bob Odenkirk, best known as Saul from the TV series “Breaking Bad,” who shows up unexpectedly as the girls’ father.

But “Little Women” is a worthwhile addition to Gerwig’s expanding resume. The director has given us a sharp telling of a beloved story — a version that manages to make a story that has now been around for 150 years feel both familiar and new.

Rating explained: “Little Women” is rated PG for some adult themes.

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