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Director Greta Gerwig’s smash indie film, Lady Bird, not only captures the ups and downs of finding one’s self in the world, but also illustrates the contrast between parents and their children. The film provided lead actress, Saoirse Ronan with a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy, and, unsurprisingly, received 5 Academy Awards nominations earlier this week.
The film tells the story of Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson (Saoirse Ronan), a 17-year-old who’s adventuring her way through her senior year of high school. Throughout her final year, the film follows her relationships, friendships and her complex relationship with her mother, Marion McPherson (Laurie Metcalf). Along with her demanding mother, Christine or the self-proclaimed “Lady Bird” faces the upcoming choice of where to go to college and the difficult decisions that come with it.
Though Gerwig’s film is filled with uplifting moments and the more than occasional laugh, it doesn’t shy away from the unromantic truths of growing up. Ronan depicts a youthful dreamer that’s caged by the lackluster city of Sacramento. From start to finish, the film portrays a hopeful outlook on one’s future that’s simply shattered by reality. This naivety in Lady Bird is contrasted by her mother’s tough, older outlook on life. McPherson is accustomed to the life she’s lived, and ultimately while she wants the best for her daughter, one can’t help but see a sense of fear in her.
Throughout the film, the audience sees Lady Bird trying to be someone she’s not. She fuels her decisions by what she desires to be, not who she actually was raised to be. In the span of its 94 minutes, Gerwig illustrates Lady Bird’s transformation from a naïve child to adult, for the most part. Lady Bird is a coming-of-age film that doesn’t hold back. It’s not your typical coming-of-age rom-com where the girl gets the guy, and everyone lives happily-ever-after. It’s a film that’s built on remembering where you come from in times of trying to fit in. It’s about staying true to who you are, but still aspiring to be someone better.
Rating: 4/5
