Lady Bird (2017)

Lady Bird (2017)

Cast

Saoirse Ronan as Lady Bird, Laurie Metcalf as Marion McPherson, Tracy Letts as Larry McPherson, Lucas Hedges as Danny O’Neill, Timothée Chalamet as Kyle

Written and Directed by Greta Gerwig

Comedy, Drama

Rated R

Greta Gerwig’s solo directorial debut received high critical acclaim, was nominated for 5 Oscars and appealed to women all across the country. Gerwig is perhaps best known for her previous acting career in Noah Baumbach’s Frances Ha (2012) and Greenberg (2010). Her semi-autobiographical film stars an angsty and relatable Saoirse Ronan as “Lady Bird” also known as Christine McPherson. The trailer for the film hooked viewers in and explained the title character’s namesake when a man inquires, “Is that your given name,” to which she replies, “I gave it to myself. It’s given to me by me.” This scene paired with the iconic moment when she jumps out of her mother’s moving car, sets the tone for the piece.

Lady Bird’s story may seem like your typical run-of-the-mill coming of age film. However, despite its small-town backdrop, high-school setting, overbearing parents, and new romantic relationships, the narrative is wholeheartedly original and intriguing. The story is defined by Lady Bird’s fights with her mother, her high school crushes, college applications and prom. Yet, to the audience, it never feels like the story has been told before on screen, only through our own experiences.

Perhaps this film did so well due to its new and realistic approach to a Classic Hollywood Cinema narrative structure. Further, the film is accessorized with early 2000’s memorabilia—Dave Matthew’s Band’s classic “Crash into Me” makes several appearances in the film- and a nostalgic look into the suburbs of Sacramento which romanticizes the Northern California culture of the era. Further, the costuming and other pop culture references really drive this time period’s sentimentality home.

Essentially, Lady Bird could not have been made in a better year. Last year’s complied original screenplay and best picture nominations all took deeply personal and unique takes on relevant and representative lifestyles. This narrative is one of the first mainstream Hollywood screenplays to accurately, yet dramatically showcase a teenage girl’s personal experience. The film focuses on the development of its central characters; obviously Lady Bird’s growing experiences are the forefront of the work.

The acting in the film is unsurprisingly phenomenal. Both Ronan and Laurie Metcalf were nominated for their roles. The star-studded cast of seasoned actors do their best to portray a middle-class family with middle-class problems. Additionally, the film tackles issues of depression and subtly mentions both micro-aggressions and the aftermath of 9/11. Ultimately, the film is a time capsule of the early 2000’s and takes a unique female perspective on the coming of age story. 

Lady Bird takes a classic narrative and films it in an almost quirky, independent style. The film does not have that glossy, over stylized look, yet is expertly made. Overall, Lady Bird is definitely worth the watch and should have you calling your Mom by the time the credits stop rolling.