I'll fly away . . .
Lady Bird (15)
Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, Tracy Letts, Lucas Hedges, Timothy Chalamet
Director: Greta Gerwig
The Plot: It's 2002, and Christine "Lady Bird" McPherson (Ronan) is a rebellious, artistic seventeen year-old girl growing up in Sacramento, California. Lady Bird hates Sacramento ("where nothing ever happens") and the strict Catholic school she attends, wanting nothing more than to escape to college in New York City. We follow Lady Bird through her eventful final year of adolescence that includes falling in love with two different boys, losing her virginity, changing friendships and the prom, all of which threatens her relationship with her long-suffering mother Marion (Metcalf) . . .
Review: I've been really looking forward to Lady Bird for some time now, ever since I first saw the trailer a few months ago, and my anticipation only grew as the film started gathering positive reviews and both award nominations and wins (these include 3 three BAFTA nominations, two Golden Globe wins, and five nominations in the forthcoming Oscars for Best Film, Director, Screenplay, Leading Actress and Supporting Actress). I'm a big fan of both Saoirse Ronan and director Greta Gerwig: Ronan has been wowing audiences from a young age since we first saw her in 2007's Atonement, and we last saw her in 2015's excellent Brooklyn for which she was also Oscar nominated. Gerwig has been a prolific actress and writer: most recently she was terrific as the lead in 2015's Mistress America (which she also wrote), and I enjoyed her supporting role in 2016's 20th Century Women. With Lady Bird Gerwig makes her solo directorial debut (along with writing the script) and I'm pleased to report that it lived up to my expectations and then some - this is a wonderful film that takes a familiar coming-of-age story and tells it in a hilarious and touching way.
The coming-of-age genre is nothing new, of course. Countless films have tackled the subject before, because it's one of those areas that pretty much everyone over a certain age can relate to. Lady Bird excels through a combination of a winning script, fantastic performances, and Gerwig's confident direction. It helps that the story is semi-autobiographical, with Gerwig drawing on her own teenage experiences, and it gives the story that extra bit of realism despite the quirky humour that flows through it (the opening scene, for example, sees Lady Bird and Marion driving home in tears as they finish listening to an audio book of "The Grapes Of Wrath", which then turns into an argument between them that results in Lady Bird throwing herself out of the moving car). I really can't do any justice with words to how funny this film is - it's absolutely hilarious. All of the characters are funny and have some great lines and put-downs, and Lady Bird in particular gets herself into lots of funny situations. But it's important to understand that as funny as the film is, it's not a comedy - the dramatic aspect is very important and it strikes the right balance between humour and seriousness. There are sad/touching moments throughout, and as funny as they are when they're clashing, it's the mother/daughter relationship between Lady Bird and Marion that provides the strongest narrative and emotional thread and is arguably what the film is really about. Lady Bird doesn't feel that her mother likes her or thinks she has the talent to achieve anything worthwhile, while Marion struggles with the fallout of Lady Bird's (often comical) actions, and it's this aspect of the story that's the most compelling.
It's also a lovely film to look at as well. A story like this one is narrative-driven so you don't come to it for a visual spectacle, but there are some really nice shots in it, especially in moments the capture the look of the Sacramento area. It's really quite a nice looking place, which makes Lady Bird's frustrations with her home all the more ironic. The visuals are matched with an effective score by composer Jon Brion, and permeated with the occasional era-appropriate song from artists like Alanis Morissette and Justin Timberlake. While 2002 isn't that long gone (only sixteen years . . .) it all helps to reinforce the time and place.
A story-driven film like this one relies heavily on its performances, especially from its lead. As the titular Lady Bird, Saoirse Ronan is absolutely fantastic here, proving yet again that she's one of the best actresses in the business at the young age of 23. Lady Bird is a uniquely funny character: a creative soul who feels trapped by her surroundings and can't wait for the year to be over ("The only exciting thing about 2002 is that it's a palindrome"); she longs to live in the affluent neighbourhood that her poor family can't afford and, more than anything, just wants to experience things that she doesn't think is possible with her lot in life (and, importantly, is frequently told by other characters that she isn't good enough to make them happen). In the process of making those experiences happen she breaks the rules constantly (shoplifting, smoking, stealing her math teacher's grade folder), and says and does things without thinking of the impact they'll have, ending up being hurtful to people like her best friend Julie and, more importantly, her mother Marion. It's important that despite all these things she never becomes an unlikeable character, and this is down to both Ronan's performance and Gerwig's writing. For all of her faults, she's such a funny and endearing character that the audience never wants to do anything but root for her, and it makes it all the more satisfying when she comes to the (admittedly rather predictable) understanding about the relationship with her mother.
As her mother Marion, Laurie Metcalf is absolutely brilliant. A stressed-out woman who works double-shifts as a nurse to help make ends meet, she's constantly exasperated by Lady Bird's outbursts and antics. She's a very sympathetic character (the size of her heart is mentioned more than once, including by Lady Bird herself) who clearly cares for her family: she's taken in her eldest son and his wife, despite not being able to afford it, supports her quiet husband Larry who is battling depression, and she's hurt by Lady Bird's determination to go to college as far away from Sacramento as possible and by her remarks about living on "the wrong side of the tracks". She's not a perfect character herself though, saying some quite cruel things to Lady Bird and is one of the characters constantly telling her she's not good enough to do the things she wants. It's a completely believable, honest performance and Metcalf is terrific - a scene at the end of the film where she breaks down by herself while driving is heartbreaking.
There's an extended cast of supporting characters who are all also excellent. As Marion's husband Larry, Tracy Letts gives another honest performance as a man suffering from depression (the revelation of which is a surprise to Lady Bird), but who clearly loves his family and wants the best for them. Lucas Hedges, who you'll recognise from Manchester By The Sea and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, plays Lady Bird's first love interest Danny, a seemingly perfect Catholic boy who turns out to be gay. It's a small role but it gives Hedges the chance to show his comedic chops, and he also gets a powerful scene where he breaks down completely in Lady Bird's arms at the thought of how he's going to come out to his family. Lady Bird's other love interest Kyle is played by Timothee Chalamet, who recently wowed critics in Call Me By Your Name. At first a cool and mysterious guitar player, he turns out to be a pretentious prick and Chalamet clearly has fun playing the creep. Beanie Feldstein is adorable as Lady Bird's best friend Julie, who has a crush on their math teacher and feels betrayed when Lady Bird abandons her to seek the friendship of popular rich girl Jenna. Mention must also be given to Stephen Henderson as Father Leviatch, director of the school musical that Lady Bird joins, who has a powerfully emotional scene after we learn his character is still grieving for a son lost to suicide, and also to Lois Smith (who I know best from 1996's guilty pleasure Twister) who gives a charming performance in her small role as Sister Sarah, the leader of the school who counsels Lady Bird.
I really have to applaud Greta Gerwig for this film. While she has co-directed a film in the past (2008's Nights and Weekends, with Joe Swanberg), Lady Bird proves that her talents extend beyond acting and writing to the solo director's chair as well. This is an absolutely fantastic film, and while it no doubt helped that she was working with a script that she wrote that's partly based on her own experiences, it showcases smart and accomplished direction. I've no doubt in my mind that this film will be in my top ten for 2018, and it rightly deserves the five Oscar nominations that it has received. I honestly don't think my words here do any justice to just what a funny, smart and moving film this is. Go see it.
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
A brilliant, smart and funny coming-of-age drama. Confidently written and directed by Greta Gerwig, it features two outstanding performances from Saoirse Ronan and Laurie Metcalf that offers an honest look at what happens when two very different but headstrong members of a family collide. Hilariously funny but emotional as well, this is an absolute must see.
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