Lady Bird

Although the Oscar nominated “Lady Bird” came out in early November of 2017, I just got around to seeing it. It was something I had been meaning to do for a while, and had been told I would enjoy. Whoever it was that said that about me was very much right.

“Lady Bird” quickly won me over, with the scene at the very beginning of the movie where Lady Bird, the title character, and her mother, are listening to John Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath” and crying in the car together. The movie is full of moments like this, the exploration of the often tumultuous relationship between mother and teenage daughter. It somehow creates a wonderful and complex relationship without giving the relationship itself too much screen time, which teen movies often seem to.

Set in the California town of Sacramento in 2002-2003, it has been described by director Greta Gerwig as her “love letter to Sacramento.” The story is semi-autobiographical, drawing on Gerwig’s own experiences in a Catholic Sacramento high school.

The characters of “Lady Bird” are entire entities, well-rounded and emotional and easy to connect with. I am not one to become overly emotional at movies, especially not the first time I see them, and yet I found myself tearing up during the emotional moments of characters I had grown to love so dearly in such a short time. Lady Bird and her love interests and friends are all just teenagers, and in a world where the teenage demographic is so often inaccurately portrayed, “Lady Bird” is wonderfully refreshing.

Lately there has been much attention drawn to the lack of women in modern film, and really all film throughout history. “Lady Bird” is a beautifully told story by women, about women. While that is no reason for this movie to be better than any other movie, it certainly seemed to be much better because of it. It was not inclusive for inclusivities sake; it was just a well-told story about a young woman coming of age, and because it was so female driven, it was more accurate and more enjoyable.

The lack of Lady Bird’s need for validation from males was well-balanced with the teenage desire to love and be loved in return. While Lady Bird does have encounters of the romantic and sexual kind, they are by no means the main focus of the story, which I found wonderful.

For any teenager, I would recommend “Lady Bird.” The story is compelling, the characters fun, and the cinematography and visual aspects of the movie beautiful. Although it won no Oscars this year, it most certainly won my heart.