Lady Bird Review

Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, Tracy Letts, Lucas Hedges, Timothée Chalamet

It's rare for a film to have 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. Whether you trust the popular opinion or not, for every critic on the planet to agree on a movie's perfection is an unusual feat. I've noted that a "perfect" movie can mean one of two things. In the first scenario, there just aren't any noticeable problems with the movie, but it doesn't have the added weight or grit that makes it feel special. I can't find anything wrong, yet it doesn't excite me. Lady Bird is the second scenario. There are no problems and everything feels earned. The way in which first-time director Greta Gerwig conveys the beautifully human story of Lady Bird McPherson displays cinematic hunger that is almost unapparent. Lady Bird feels like you're watching real people with realistic problems, as if a snapshot was taken. I believe it is impossible for anyone, of any age, to watch Lady Bird and not relate to at least one character or plot point. It is likely you will relate to many. The film depicts Christine McPherson and her senior year at a Catholic high school. "Lady Bird" is her given name, in the sense that "It was given to me, by me." Forcing everyone to call her a name is just the beginning of her rebellious behavior in this coming-of-age comedy. There is a point in everyone's life where they yearn to break free of their parents' hold, yet still cling to the home that raised them. Lady Bird perfectly captures the complex feelings of someone on the cusp of adulthood, feeling trapped within the confines of her upbringing.

The heart of Lady Bird is the relationship between Lady Bird and her mother, Marion. The two often find themselves at odds. Her mother holds her to an extremely high standard, belittling her for her appearance. Lady Bird exclaims to her mother: "I'm not perfect, you know!" to which she replies "Nobody's asking you to be perfect, but it wouldn't hurt to try." The relationship between the two is toxic, like a powder keg about to blow. As a viewer, you can tell that they're nearing a breaking point. Despite the insults and anger they hurl at each other, there are moments of tenderness between the two. Lady Bird loses her virginity and feels intense shame and regret and she cries in her mother's arms. The most shocking moment comes when she asks of her mother: "Do you like me?" Marion responds that "of course" she loves her. Lady Bird presses her "But do you like me?" and her mother stands in stoic silence. This all might sound awful, but it's reminiscent of many mother / child relationships in the world. I saw parts of my mother in Marion, and their relationship reminded of instances shared between the two of us. I have a friend who saw an eerily accurate portrait of her relationship with her mom. You learn to recognize this as one of the many reflections of real-life individuals.

At the center of Lady Bird is a whirlwind of a performance by Saoirse Ronan, who looks likely to grab a third Oscar nomination (after Atonement and Brooklyn) at the age of 23, a stunning achievement. She delivers each line with fire and intensity. Ronan is able to tap into Lady Bird's unbridled passion, and is able to find her purest intents and her wickedness. There are times in which Lady Bird says awful things to the people around her, yet she never feels like an antagonizing force. Her spite comes from yearning, and a need to break free of the shackles she believes are holding her. I never once questioned Lady Bird's morality, and had faith that she would figure herself out by the film's close. I was wrong, but such is life. We never really figure it out.

Lady Bird's greatest success can be attributed to the film's writer/director Greta Gerwig. She has been acting to little fanfare in truly indie (too far even for me) films for a few years and has just transitioned to directing. Every single piece of Lady Bird comes together to form a beautiful picture, and it's Gerwig who assembled it. She partially based the story off of her upbringing in Sacramento, her studies in a Catholic high school, and her tumultuous relationship with her mother. The script that she wrote is one of the wittiest comedies I can remember. Some of the funniest lines are tinted with sorrow, and some of the saddest lines can be funny. This is the human experience. There are ups, there are downs, and somewhere in America everything gets blended together in a hot mess. That hot mess is Lady Bird.

The scene that stuck with me the most was a conversation between Lady Bird and a nun discussing her college essay. Lady Bird had described all the awful things about Sacramento in snarking specifics. The nun praised her "beautiful" essay about how much she loves her city and the world around her. Lady Bird is shocked, reaffirms her hatred, and says "I just pays attention, I guess." The nun's reply perfectly conveys the film's message, and a great takeaway from life.

"Don't you think that they are the same things? Love and attention."

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