"Lady Bird" (2017) Film Review
'Lady Bird' is easily the most lovable film of our time.
Picture courtesy of A24 Films.
Directed By: Greta Gerwig
Rated: R
Runtime: 1:34
Review By: Livi Edmonson
Sitting at a Rotten Tomatoes score of 100% and breaking the
record for being the highest rated film of all time, “Lady Bird” is sensational
in every way possible. The film follows a stubborn, strong-willed girl named
“Lady Bird”, who’s trying to survive her senior year at a all girl’s Catholic high
school. Christine McPherson is her real name, but “Lady Bird” is the name she
says was given to her, by herself.
Frustrated by a mom who seems to only see her as a
disappointment and bored by her small-minded hometown of Sacramento, Lady Bird
tries to take control of her unsatisfying life by branching out. In doing this,
she tries new things such as auditioning for the school play and applying to
colleges in New York. Except for almost everything in the whole world is
holding Lady Bird back from attending the college of her choice, including her
family’s financial situation and her GPA, which are both drastically drowning.
As Lady Bird lives through her senior year, she slowly
realizes that not everything is about her and that maybe she should pay more
attention to how everyone else is feeling. She also comes to realize that her
and her mother are even more alike than she thinks and that her mother’s love
for her is definitely there, but sometimes a little hard to see.
“Lady Bird” is a drama, a comedy, and more than anything, a
coming-of-age tale. When Lady Bird learns a lesson, the audience learns one too.
When Lady Bird feels a certain way, the audience either feels that way also or
recalls to a time when they did feel that way. The overall vibe is no less than
nostalgic. Whether it be the vintage-filtered hues in Gerwig’s editing, or the way
she carefully films just the simple landmarks in Sacramento, “Lady Bird” makes
“home” a feeling, not a place.
Though the screenplay, editing, and direction are
incredible, the acting is phenomenal. Two-time Academy-award nominee, Saoirse
Ronan plays Lady Bird with such ease that you forget Lady Bird is just a
character in a movie. With the 2018 awards season right around the corner, if I
had to go ahead and predict the Best Actress winner at The Oscars, there is not
a doubt in my mind that the winner will be Saoirse Ronan. Her talent has always
been there, but has been somewhat of a hidden treasure. With a Gotham award, a
New York Film Critics’ Circle award and a Chicago Film Critics’ Circle award
and multiple nominations already under her belt for the season, Saoirse is just
an Oscar away from becoming Hollywood’s next leading lady.
The realism throughout the film is not only what makes it flat-out
hilarious, but also what makes it one of the easiest films to relate to. It
touches on many social and economic issues, showing that one single movie can
capture the world’s differences. Some of the issues the film touches on
includes that of which deals with family financial problems, politics,
religion, homosexuality, racism, and even issues of mental illness such as
depression.
However, above all of the issues the film touches on, it sheds
light on one particular underrated issue: what it is like to be a complicated
teenage girl suffocating in a small town.
Though it seems to be “no big deal” to anyone but Lady Bird,
the truth is that everyone feels alone and stuck in the same spot at least once
in their life and they just want someone to listen to them. That is just one
lesson that “Lady Bird” teaches us: when you find people who will actually
listen to you, you can’t push them away.
It also teaches us that you can never miss something you hate until it is all gone.
In conclusion, “Lady Bird” is hilarious, authentic, and
relatable. It is also the greatest, most memorable film of the year and
perhaps, of our time. Go see this film because it deserves to be seen by
everyone and anyone who just wants to smile.
Comments
Post a Comment