"Lady Bird"

No, this movie is not about Lady Bird Johnson as my parents both assumed. I could say that it’s about a high school senior named Christine who insists on being called Lady Bird as she navigates life and her identity in Sacramento, but there’s a lot more to it than that and plenty to discuss. Even though her parents can barely afford to, they keep Christine out of the public school where there was a stabbing so she can attend a private Catholic school. And there are so many interesting dynamics at play: the primary having to be the tough love approach from the mom that works double shifts as a nurse. The whole family is interesting, however, with the softie good guy father, and the care-free kinda goth older brother that maybe isn’t living up to full potential. And as with any good coming-of-age film, Lady Bird meets and interacts with many characters, each providing a new spin to the midst. Basically, what I’ll probably be repeating constantly will be about the fully realized, pretty authentic characters throughout.

            Let’s start with some positives. Lady Bird’s adorable best friend Julie is a joy. Yes, I know, she fills the comic relief side character, but she’s someone that rewards an audience for sticking with her for the whole journey. And really, unlike a typical journey filled with plenty of pit stops, the characters here—including Julie—may drop out of the picture temporarily, but they remain relevant all the way through. Another example is Lucas Hedges who plays the first love interest of Lady Bird. This may be a cast of young actors, but having been in films like The Grand Budapest Hotel, Moonrise Kingdom, and recently Manchester by the Sea, Hedges is picking unbelievable scripts to work in and holding his own. And as much as I want to include a minor spoiler, all I’ll say is that one reason the characters in Lady Bird feel developed and real is the ability from writer/director Greta Gerwig to understand that characters can be conflicted internally and externally without having to be marked as good or bad, protagonist or antagonist.

            This is certainly a charming film, and that’s proven by the almost historic score it received from Rotten Tomatoes. The thing is that every film there is either fresh or rotten, so critics can enjoy a film and call it fresh without loving it. I feel like that applies to Lady Bird. From the opening with Christine and her mom talking in the car, to the moments in drama class rehearsing the play, to countless hangouts with differing friend groups, the dialogue feels real. The cast is sharp and confident, and the story never lulls. But after that, you can probably start nitpicking. Both the score and soundtrack are unremarkable—with the soundtrack even borderline basic—and the cinematography starts off strong in an almost Wes Anderson inspired way, but that reasonably drops off in the middle when the characters truly start taking over. I was surprised by the opening and one moment with Hedges, but the story is slightly predictable beyond that.

            What this all amounts to is nitpicks. You won’t exit the theater with any glaring mistake in mind. What should stick out are the stronger moments. The mother-daughter relationship is exceptional. Lady Bird is whining one moment, then defending her mom to a friend the next. The mom is spending valuable time with Christine in one scene, then (and more typically) she’s nagging about Christine’s laziness immediately afterward. Although hardly expressed verbally, the love is constantly apparent. And the subtleness of all the emotions in the film is really one of the best parts. Instead of Lady Bird proclaiming to Julie, “Wow, Julie, I really can’t stand that Kyle guy!” they may make a snarky joke to each other and laugh over cheese plates. Even the most exaggerated characters like Kyle brings the right amount of comedic tone during some more serious scenes. After all, Kyle will forever be “hella tight” guy to me.

            When I think of coming-of-age films, I immediately think of American Graffiti and Boyhood. I can’t necessarily say that Lady Bird will come to mind. I absolutely enjoyed watching the film, but it doesn’t have any element I would describe as spectacular enough for me think that I’ll remember this film down the road. Again, if given time, I’m sure I’d recommend this film to someone, but there isn’t really anything in there to jog my memory in an instant. But if you’re looking for strong acting, authentic and relatable stories, and strong themes that are never presented in an in-your-face manner, then this is a solid film to see. And besides, how can you not enjoy Saoirse Ronan?