'Little Women' First Reactions: Greta Gerwig Delivers A Strong Oscar Contender With Great Performances

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With the fall film festivals in the rearview mirror, it’s come to that point in the year where film fans begin talking about awards and top 10 lists. And while many of the big contenders have been screened already, there are some major holdouts that are waiting until later in 2019 to have their big debuts, including Greta Gerwig’s highly-anticipated “Little Women.”

However, the social media embargo has lifted on Gerwig’s adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s famous novel and it appears that the filmmaker has picked up right where she left off with “Lady Bird” and crafted yet another film that is destined for awards glory.

READ MORE: ‘Little Women’: Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh, Greta Gerwig & Oscar?

Our own Gregory Ellwood saw the film and definitely agrees that the film will be an Oscar contender (you can read his more nuanced, detailed breakdown of “Little Women’s” Oscar chances) but isn’t completely sold on the film.

He tweeted, “‘Little Women’ is charming if not a wee bit long. Saoirse Ronan and Florence Pugh are the standout performances. Best Picture nominee…maybe?Also for such a pretty score it’s overscored? There are moments you just want to hear the girls banter but…nope.”

While not an overabundance of critics claiming that Gerwig has created a masterpiece, there seems to be generally positive buzz from many folks who have seen “Little Women.” And probably as no surprise to anyone who has seen the two women in a film previously, Florence Pugh and Saoirse Ronan are being singled out as the stand-outs in a cast that is notably stacked. In the case of Pugh, if you’ve seen “Midsommar,” then you’re well aware that the actress is one of the best young talents in Hollywood and is clearly poised for superstardom.

READ MORE: 2019 Fall Preview: The 45 Most Anticipated Films

So, even with the mountains of hype, considering Greta Gerwig’s follow-up to her Oscar-nominated work on “Lady Bird” features an A-list cast and is adapted from one of the most beloved stories in fiction, it appears that “Little Women” is pretty great. If nothing else, it seems as if Gerwig has avoided the dreaded sophomore slump, joining returning filmmakers Jordan Peele, Robert Eggers, and Ari Aster in quality second efforts in 2019.

“Little Women” arrives in theaters on Christmas Day.

You can see some more reactions below: