by Eurocheese
Greta Gerwig's follow up to the brilliant Lady Bird looks like a potential Christmas smash hit waiting to happen. Can it stick the landing with such high expectations? Well, if the trailer is any indicator, we may be in for a treat. The Yes No Maybe So™ breakdown follows after the jump...
YES
• Goodness, what a cast! Saoirse's spunky attitude and ability to convey so much with her face makes her a perfect fit for wild child Jo, and of course Chalamet is perfect as the swoon-worthy Laurie. It doesn't stop there, though: Emma Watson looks regal as grown-up sister Meg; Laura Dern's motherly tone makes her a perfect fit for Marmee; and though we don't see much of her in the trailer, Eliza Scanlen's wonderful work in Sharp Objects suggests Beth is in good hands as the unsung sister. The trailer is so packed with big names, it's hard to know where to look.
• Much like Lady Bird, where Gerwig made a point of saying she wanted every scene to feel like it was beautifully shot, this trailer is absolutely gorgeous. Cinematographer Yorick Le Saux has worked on other beauties such as Personal Shopper and I Am Love, so we'll have lush images in store.
• Desplat doesn't need any more Oscars but,from the little we hear or what's to come (trailers don't always use the forthcoming score), he'll be in the mix again.
• Gerwig's dialogue feels sharp and fresh. We have seen her generously handle multiple female perspectives in her last film - something that is incredibly rare to see on film these days - and this film is ripe with possibilities. Hearing Jo's demand for women to be treated as equals and Meg's response that she's allowed to have her own dreams... beautiful. Every little girl in the country should get to hear those words.
• The advice to female writers? "Short and spicy" and married by the end? Perfectly paired with Jo punching Laurie.
NO
• As enamored as I am with the trailer, it's a bit distracting that Amy looks the same age as her sisters. Past versions have excused some of her behavior based on immaturity but will this one?
• There are perfectly good reasons for not putting her front and center, but I was hoping for more Beth in the trailer.
MAYBE SO
• Meryl makes for a fine snarling villain, but is she taking up too much air in the room here? I'm hoping she doesn't serve as a distraction. Sometimes she's too much (Mary Poppins Returns would be an example) but sometimes she provides the best moments of a crowded film (Suffragette, A Prairie Home Companion), so we'll see.
• The trailer feels so modern despite the setting, but can Gerwig pull that off for the entire film? Though I wonder about certain aspects of the story being brought up to date, Gerwig deserves a vote of confidence that the emotions will ring true.
Well, I'm an ecstatic YES overall. How about you?