Rating: 8/10
It’s a look into an average 17-year-old girls life. And it’s told that way. So refreshing. I’ve seen it twice already. I think it’s just that good.
“I was on top! Who the fuck is on top their first time?!” – Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson
** spoilers **
2018
Director: Greta Gerwig
Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Timothée Chalamet, Laurie Metcalf, etc…
Length: 1h 34min
Genre: Drama
Lady Birds is a 17-year-old girl, trying to break away from her nagging mum and boring life in Sacramento. As she navigates through senior year, applying to colleges, getting boyfriends, having sex for the first time, trying to get in with the cool kids at school whilst neglecting her real friends, figuring out her relationship with her mum, Lady Bird learns what’s important and what’s not.
The story doesn’t have a build up to one big event in the 3rd act with a plot twist to look forward to. It just shows all these little events, one following the other, like everyone’s life. It’s a look into Lady Bird’s life: her senior year. There is no introduction and the end just cuts to black all of the sudden. I’ve seen other films where they’ve used the same storytelling approach, but I absolutely love it in Lady Bird.
If anything the story centers around the complicated relationship between Lady Bird and her mother. It’ll probably very recognizable for many women.
Saoirse Ronan is sublime, as always. She shows Lady Bird as this confident young woman without being the bitch. And I believe she’s the one carrying the entire film. Granted, she is the leading lady starring in the titular role. But in terms of public recognition, she brings in the audience. Now that Call Me By Your Name is a huge success, Timothée Chalamet does draw some views as well, but other than that, it’s all Saoirse.
Timothée does show a different side of himself. As opposed to Elio in Call Me By Your Name, Kyle is this emo boy, too cool for a cell phone, not completely honest about his virginity and has absolutely nothing in common with Lady Bird. And he makes it look goooood. Man, that guy has talent.
Laurie Metcalf is the universal recognizable nagging, but loving mum. I do see a lot of my relationship with my mum in the relationship between Lady Bird and hers.
Whilst this film is not autobiographical, writer and director Greta Gerwig has confirmed certain events are based on her personal life in Sacramento. That makes it, in my opinion, even cooler.
I’ve seen the movie twice now and it just gets better. This film is currently standing between Everything, Everything and the Perks of Being a Wallflower as my favorite high school films.
That is it for this ‘review’ 🙂 Curious for more? Feel free to click through 😉
Trailer:
Thanks for reading!
xo – Sara
Oh, and I absolutely love these behind the scenes photos found on IMDb 🙂
A Film Utopia 