Lady Bird - A Movie Review

The relationship between a mother and daughter is a special bond.

Lady Bird flew into theaters in 2017. A young woman who goes by her own nickname, Lady Bird, wants to be her own person and live the life she yearns. In her final year of high school, Lady Bird struggles with her relationships, decisions, and school.

If there is any movie that captures the complex relationship between a mother and daughter, it is Lady Bird. What I love about Lady Bird is that it is a genuine story that does not hold back from showcasing realness. Lady Bird is a lesson to all audiences about making the right decisions that will make the best impact.

Saoirse Ronan’s performance is the highlight of the film. Ronan breathes emotion into her character, studying her role, becoming a believable moody teen. Lady Bird not only challenges herself to take risks but all teen audiences. Being a teenager is tough.

Lady Bird’s selfish attitude was distasteful at times, but arguably I think all audiences see themselves in Lady Bird. We were all teenagers once trying to find our way through life. Lady Bird has inspired young women of her age to take life slower and see the importance of what they have in front of them.

The job of a mother is important. Laurie Metcalf was stupendous as Marion, the mother of Lady Bird. At times, I did not agree with the way Marion sharply spoke to her daughter, often putting her down when in need of support. Metcalf’s reactions, delivery, and interactions were very well acted.

I got a sense of Marion and Lady Bird’s complex relationship right from the start of the film when they are bickering in the car. A great way to start off the movie. I applaud Lady Bird for opening the world up to the relationship between a mother and daughter.

One important lesson that I have learned about time is valuing lessons that I have learned from my own mom. We adapt to the world because of our mother’s advice to help lead us in the right direction.

Every actor successfully developed a character with a lingering conflict holding them back. Tracey Letts, Lucas Hedges, Timothee Chalamet, Beanie Feldstein, Odeya Rush, Stephen McKinley Henderson, and Lois Smith had incredible chemistry in their interactions.

A character who I felt was underrated in this movie was Miguel (Jordan Rodriguez). The focus is mainly on Lady Bird, but anytime she interacted with her brother, the sarcastic, yet the deep bond between these siblings was beautiful. Obviously, Miguel has a story of his own. It would have been interesting to see the story play out from his perspective.

One part that I was not expecting was for this movie to take place in the early 2000's. We all grew up differently, so seeing teenagers live in this period of time was a sense of how different life was. I was a kid in 2002, so I didn’t appreciate life the way teenagers did.

I was very surprised to learn that Lady Bird was Greta Gerwig’s directorial debut. It is a simple story-line, and yet it is a powerful film with a deep message. Gerwig based most of the film on her own life experiences. She connected with her actors. Every scene is beautiful. The script is written with realistic dialogue.

Nobody is perfect. Ronan can say so herself due to having difficulty saying ‘perfect’. Lady Bird is a colorful film that sports the right tone of drama and comedy. If you have not seen Lady Bird it is a movie that you have to experience.