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Lady Bird (2017)
There are many ways to tell a coming-of-age story, but all of them have similar moments of joyful and painful transformation from childhood to adulthood. While clichés are inevitable, the bitter-sweet dramedy Lady Bird (2017) offers a more nuanced portrait of angst-ridden transition to maturity. It stands out from the pack for the beautiful way it frames the story inside the universal love-hate mother-daughter relationship.
Like most teenage-girl films, this one feels like a prolonged melodrama because that is what it is. In a typical act of rebellion, 17-year old Christine (Saoirse Ronan) re-names herself “Lady Bird”. The inverted commas are for anyone who doubts her authorship or right to call herself whatever she chooses. Her depressed but genial father Larry (Tracy Letts) has not been able to find work and her mother Marion (Laurie Metcalf) works double shifts to keep the family afloat. “Lady Bird’s” Catholic upbringing in Sacramento is increasingly claustrophobic and her one dream is to get into an east-coast college that has “real culture” despite her grades and family finances. In the middle of this stock-standard middle-American family, the quirky brat “Lady Bird” battles her tough-love mother while juggling regular problems about friends, romance, and school….like any other teenager.
In the absence of an original narrative there is an abundance of great character acting, genuinely funny moments and a finely paced script. The film’s heartbeat pulsates in the unbreakable cord between mother and daughter. When it finally loosens, as it must, “Lady Bird” reverts to Christine and metaphorically turns into a butterfly. Saoirse Ronan is wonderful in this role, although at 23 years of age her adulthood sneaks through the 17-year old girl she is meant to be. Her facial expressions eloquently convey the crushing moments that mark the transition from girl to woman: like her first lover telling her that “you are going to have so much un-special sex in your life”, or her priest’s warning that “we never escape our past” when she is desperate to do so. Ronan’s performance relies on reciprocation and Laurie Metcalf is cast to perfection as her maternal foil. The pair switch from brawling cats to best friends in a single blink without loss of authenticity.
The joy of this film lies in its unembellished realism: there are no big belly laughs or comedic skits, just many little things that make you smile. “Lady Bird” is a heart-achingly ordinary, funny and smart girl from the “wrong side of the tracks”. Some viewers will recognise parts of themselves, others will enjoy the film through the lens of nostalgia or catharsis. For most, Lady Bird offers a mirror of the emotional, physical, sexual and transcendent moments that shapes our journey into adulthood.
Director: Greta Gerwig
Stars: Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, Tracy Letts
CineMuseFilms 
Yet another fantastic review. So well-written, inciteful, and yet wonderfully concise. Thank you! If I hadn’t already planned to see LadyBird, I certainly would now.
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Thank you for your kind comment.
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Well written review, as usual. My favorite line (in your review, that is): “The pair switch from brawling cats to best friends in a single blink without loss of authenticity.” That so eloquently sums up the mother-daughter relationship in this film. And as I read it, it made me realize that what my relationship with my mother lacked was the best friends part. And that is the thing that I more or less subconsciously envied about some of my friends’ relationships with their mothers. Your prediction about how the film will resonate with different viewers is right on the money.
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As a close observer of one particular mother-daughter relationship (ie: my wife and daughter). I could only smile each time I saw them exchange sparks. Its so unlike father-son relationships, both in good and bad ways. Thanks for sharing your thoughts here.
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Oh that topic is worthy of an essay. How do mother-daughter relationships tend to differ from father-son relationships? Both come with their share of natural tension. 😉
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I dare reflect only on my life: the mother-daughter that I see daily have many and varied channels of communication as in Lady Bird, whereas mine with two sons are fewer and far less volatile.
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I do get that. However, ol’ Mr. Shakespeare delved into the father-son issues, as have a lot of films and books. It’s in interesting topic to contemplate. I’m sure there are issues on both sides, but different origins and different ways of dealing with the issues.
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I really enjoyed this review – as you’ve alluded to here, it’s not necessarily the story but the way it’s played out that makes a huge impact. Your reviews do the same, the film itself may not have certain appeal but the way you write certainly does.
I’m always baffled by Ronan, she is an amazingly talented young actress with an ageless face. I would love to see this movie, if only for her (and your review, of course)!
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Thank you for your kind coment Jolene; do see this one, as you say, if only for Ronan’s wonderful performance.
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Having watched “Lady Bird” as recently as a couple of hours ago, I appreciate your review. The actors literally made this film! Without Ronan’s deadpan delivery and dry wit, matched by Metcalf’s equally unsmiling presence, the film would have been fairly “ho hum” I believe.
If I can point to one criticism it would be the fault of the cinema complex itself. I walked into the auditorium already knowing far too much. Why do they do this when it spoils the show? We only need a glimpse of what is to come in order to whet our appetite.
The characterisations ‘rang true’ for me and also revealed a part of the crisis suffered by ordinary American families in the 21st century time of retrenchment, downsizing and overwork. Not an enviable state of affairs.
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Caught up with this film last week and it is all you say. I’ve recommended my sister go see it with her 18 year old daughter. So much familiar material there 🙂
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I’m encouraging my wife and 21 year princess to see this together for the same reason; the film is about them.
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I loved the first scene in the op shop where one moment they are arguing, and next, fawning over the same dress 🙂
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I see that one in real life every day…it’s adorable realism.
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