Lady Bird captures the ideal coming of age story.
Lady Bird not only encaptures a relatable storyline for people of all genders and ages, but it also introduces the realistic side of a teenage girl’s life that doesn’t sugarcoat the difficulties high schoolers encounter.
Saoirse Ronan plays Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson, a girl approaching adulthood who has a sense of rebellion and an independent lifestyle that clashes with her strict Catholic high school and parents, more specifically her mom, who is played by Laurie Metcalf. Lady Bird strays from the cliché teenage girl movie in which the young girl is constantly battling her parents, school, friends and boys; it rather exhibits both the favorable and dreadful times in one’s life and how these events contribute to the maturity of her character.
From bonding over a novel to fighting about college with her mom, an altercation that most of teens relate to, Ronan and Metcalf explore both realistic and extreme roles of the relationship so well and portray the complete 180 degree turn that teenage girls often have with their mom. Ronan and Metcalf illustrates their relationship with such chemistry that it feels impossible they’re not mother and daughter in real life.
Lady Bird’s character alone is quite outstanding through how she reacts to what life throws at her. She encounters a wide range of unexpected twists in her life, and without giving away spoilers, handles them with either maturity or teenage girl rage. Lady Bird’s character development becomes evident and reveals Ronan’s outstanding performance. She begins as an independent 17 year old that humorously stumbles her way through school and home life without a job; however she soon realizes the importance of her future and the value of people who support her by developing into a mature girl with a thirst for independence but also an understanding of those around her.
The story takes place in Sacramento, a town Lady Bird has always hoped to escape. Throughout the movie, different local places like thrift stores, theaters and drive-ins are showcased, exhibiting the small town ambience that numerous people across the nation know and love. Teenagers always have that moment of “Ugh I can’t wait to leave this town and never look back,” but what Lady Bird reveals is that teenagers are ungrateful for what they have just because they don’t know life without all the beneficial things that are just given to them. Once Lady Bird experiences life without the constant reminder of her childhood and town, she recognizes the love she had for everything after all.
Lady Bird dreams of going to the east coast or at least a substantial distance away from her hometown, but when away, she admits her longing for her town and, more specifically, her family, friends, favorite spots and the scenery. Her realization brings insight to her teenage audience that hometowns are not necessarily a bad part of life, but rather something that a teenager is so accustomed to that they need space to appreciate the beauty of where they grew up.
Lady Bird is an unforgettable movie that will make the audience cry from both heartache and humor. After watching the movie, I started to appreciate where I live more by realizing I will not have the comfort of my home someday, and, more importantly, it made me want to let my mom know that, despite numerous fights, our relationship will always be a special bond. This movie is not limited to teenage girls and their moms but is enjoyable for everyone–it is packed with life lessons from a remarkable cast.
