Greta
Gerwig makes her solo directional debut with the coming-of-age drama, Lady Bird, starring two-time Academy
award nominee Saoirse Ronan. Gerwig, who also wrote the film, has primarily
been an actress that you may recognize from films such as 20th Century Women, Jackie
and No Strings Attached. 2017 has
been a year that has seen many phenomenal directorial debuts including Jordan
Peele’s Get Out and Andy Serkis’ Breathe. Gerwig does not disappoint and
turns in an incredible film that can be enjoyed by all.
Lady Bird takes place in Sacramento and
is the story of Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson as she finishes out her last
year of high school and prepares for college. The film takes place in 2002, a
time where the United States’ economy was rapidly shifting as a result of 9/11.
Christine’s family struggles because of those economic changes and her
resentment is made very clear. In her final high school year, Christine finds
herself learning about love and all of the ways love can be given.
One thing
in particular that I really enjoyed was the directing and how Gerwig was able
to make this feel so different than most other coming-of-age films. There are a
lot of similar themes and plot points to be found, but the way they are handled
is different. For example, one of the central plot-points in this film is the
tumultuous relationship between Christine and her mother, Marion (Laurie
Metcalf). While it would have been easy for Gerwig to simply make Marion be a
heartless parental figure, she instead took the time to give her layers and
thoroughly explain why she is the way she is.
Much like Christine, Lady Bird
manages to stay unpredictable.
The journey
that Christine goes through in Lady Bird
is fascinating because of how visible her growth is and how much it feels like
you are growing up with her. The film positions Christine at this perfect time
in her life where she is just now beginning to understand the way in which the
world really works. She starts off as a funny but shy girl whose only dream is to
escape her city of Sacramento and go “where the culture is”. As the story advances, she meets certain
people who force her to come out of her shell and really put herself out into
the world. When this happens we begin to see Christine really grow and mature. The
ways in which her story unfolds all felt very real and relatable, which is one
of the film’s strongest points.
The
performances throughout Lady Bird are
very layered, but also very tender. Saoirse Ronan may very well be headed to
her third Oscar nomination. The way in which she was able to perfectly portray
this time when naivety meets maturity is amazing to see. Laurie Metcalf also
deserves a lot of praise for her portrayal of Christine’s mother. Without her,
the film doesn’t work quite as well as it does. You believe that she really is
the person you see onscreen, which is a mother who is at the verge of breaking
from trying with all her might to keep her family from falling apart. She is
the anchor that holds the family and the film in place.
There
aren’t any weak performances in Lady Bird.
The cast includes Tracy Letts as Christine’s father, Lucas Hedges (Manchester By The Sea) as Danny and
Timothée Chalamet, who this year alone is in three possible award-contending
films (Call Me By Your Name, Lady Bird and Hostiles), as Kyle.
Lady Bird is personal film for Greta
Gerwig and it shows in every moment of the film. This is a story that doesn’t
rely on big plot twists or huge set pieces. Instead, it focuses on telling a
strong story about the ups and downs of growing up. It is a wonderful and
highly relatable perspective of what growing up is like. It beautifully depicts
the various forms of love we encounter throughout our lives without shying away
from showing the heartbreak that comes with them. Everyone in this film
deserves praise, especially director Greta Gerwig. With Lady Bird, she created something special and Hollywood needs more
voices like hers.
This is a perfect film. Score: 100%
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