Lady Bird

Movie, 2017, R

Premise – Lady Bird is her given name, in that it’s a name given to her by her. Stuck in her senior year of a dreary, stifling Catholic school in 2002 Sacramento, Lady Bird dreams of escaping to college on the East Coast, despite everyone telling her she’s not talented enough to make it in or affluent enough to pay for tuition. Until she can prove everyone wrong, she has to deal with a poor household, a demanding mother, a depressed father, a gay boyfriend, an unpopular best friend, and a lying lover. 

Review – I had high hopes for this movie just because the protagonist is the exact kind of human being I find myself most interested in – troubled teenage girl with potential. I absolutely love coming-of-age stories for teenagers, particularly ones with interesting interpersonal and intrapersonal dynamics. Also, the film was highly regarded during awards season, which also had me interested.

There are a lot of great things to say about the film, which countless critics already have. I loved Lady Bird’s character. However, because I was flooded with all these great reviews and unrealistic expectations, I wanted to discuss the areas where the film fell slightly short.

My main critique is with tone. There are certain moments of the film that are so laugh-out-loud funny, which I adore. There are other certain moments of the film that play up the realism of Lady Bird’s situation, which is also admirable. The two approaches didn’t quite feel reconciled to me. The absurdity of some of the comedic moments take one out of the realism, which makes the more authentic moments of the film slightly less impactful. The film showcases the sadly comedic moments that definitely occur in real life, but sometimes they are pushed ever so slightly too far that it creates a tonal inconsistency.

Also, my other critique is there wasn’t enough Timothee Chalamet. We could always use more Timothee Chalamet. (84/100)

Quote – “Don’t you think maybe they are the same thing? Love and attention?”

If you liked this movie, I'd recommend The Perks of Being a Wallflower!

What to Watch For – Well I watched for Timothee Chalamet but his role in this was quite small.

Director: Greta Gerwig

Distribution Company: A24