If you have yet to decide on what to watch next on Netflix, we would like to suggest grabbing some popcorn and gathering around the TV to watch Little Big Women.
On Shoying’s birthday, she, along with her daughters, grapple with the passing of their estranged husband and father, Bochang, and the lives he left behind. They discover the existence of Tsai, the woman who was by his side until his last breath. We explore complicated mother-daughter relationships and the inner war of Shoying. Is Tsai worth knowing, and will knowing Tsai offer her closure?
Little Big Women is beautifully filmed. The conversations are quiet and intimate. There were no screaming matches, and dramatic glass-of-water-to-the-face moments that seem to be part and parcel of Asian drama films. The nice and calm approach keeps you engaged and welcomes you into the scenes, making you feel like you’re there with them.
Photo courtesy of IMDb
The story is also gracefully written. The nuances and implications in each conversation would be very familiar to anyone who grew up in an Asian household.
Each of the women is a fully formed character with different life experiences and significant roles in the film. A lot of stories that center around women’s experiences usually have characters that are just thrown into the mix to represent the “stereotypical woman” — not here. You can see how they relate to each other and their stories.
The Golden Horse Awards nominated Yung-Hsuan Hsieh for Best Supporting Actress, Maya Huang and Joseph Chen-Chieh Hsu for Best Adapted Screenplay, Hsu Best New Director, Blarie Ko for Best Original Film Score, and lyricist Elisa Lin, composer Blare Ko, performers Shu-Fang Chen and Sara Yu for Best Original Film Song category. On top of that, Shu-Fang Chen was awarded Best Leading Actress.
Little Big Women is heartfelt and earnestly told. It becomes clear that while the story centers on a Chinese family, familial problems are universal. It is definitely worth a watch, and I don’t understand why it’s not trending on Netflix right now. Let’s change that.
Also, check out the Taiwanese dramas you need to watch here.
