When I was aware that Greta Gerwig was directing a feature film, I had the littlest amount of hope for it. I have nothing against Gerwig as a person, but her work as an actress or writer never managed to blow me away like it has with everyone else and their mothers. The premise behind "Lady Bird" sounded intriguing, but it wasn’t until I saw the trailer for it and I expressed a huge level of excitement for it. With all the praise that ended up surrounding it, there was a fear when walking in because of my history with Gerwig’s work prior. I have to say that being afraid was an absurd action on my part, as "Lady Bird" is not only one of the year’s best films - but one of the decade’s top contenders.
I don’t even know where to start when discussing "Lady Bird," but I will say that this makes my whole perspective of Gerwig change vastly. She directed this film beautifully and her screenplay tops that absolutely. This is a coming-of-age story following Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson (Saoirse Ronan), a high school senior, who dreams of going to schools where culture lies and to be away from her strict mother (Laurie Metcalf). A lot of people are going to be thrown off by the idea of another coming-of-age story and while it does follow similar tropes to other films in this genre, "Lady Bird" does something extremely different that makes it stand out from other coming-of-age films we’ve received in recent memory.
Gerwig makes Christine such a despicable character, while still making the audience find ways to care for her and understand where she is coming from. When the film was beginning, I was asking myself why Gerwig was trying so hard to get me to like Christine so much. As the film progressed, I came to appreciate how layered Christine was as a person and Ronan does a phenomenal job of bringing that to her. Ronan always brings her A-game and she continues to amaze me as she evolves with her acting chops. Ronan does terrific with the dramatic scenes of course, but she surprised me with the comedic moments. Speaking of comedy and drama, Gerwig’s screenplay is my favorite of the year so far. Her balance of both genres is impeccable and a breath of fresh air.
The admiration that Gerwig placed for the city of Sacramento was also a highlight of the film, as it plays a pivotal part to Christine’s story arc, not only because that’s the film’s setting. I don’t want to give anything away, but when you view "Lady Bird," you will understand and appreciate what I’m saying. Everyone else in the film is spectacular, with Metcalf giving an Oscar-worthy performance as Christine’s stern, but caring, mother. The supporting cast is also filled with stand-out performances from up-and-comers Lucas Hedges, Timothée Chalamet and Beanie Feldstein. I felt that everyone’s story arcs were handled perfectly and while I wish certain characters had longer on-screen appearances, each actor had their shining sequence. That’s something that you can worry about when going into a film with a huge ensemble cast.
There were a few plot points that weren’t completed, but that is a minor flaw I had with the film. All in all, "Lady Bird" was absolutely spectacular and is a film that will be regarded as a classic down the road. I am still in shock that I loved the directorial debut of Greta Gerwig and I wish her nothing but the best down the road with her directorial efforts. While I don’t dislike her as an actress, I feel she has a stronger talent for directing and writing. "Lady Bird" is a film that can’t be missed and if it’s pushed off your radar, then there’s a serious issue with you and your taste in film.
