As a High-School Senior, a Young Woman Tries to Break Out

Saoirse Ronan (left) and Laurie Metcalf in "Lady Bird"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

High school can be one of the most fun times of anyone’s life.  But, it can also come with several difficulties, like trying to fit in, finding yourself, and deciding what you’re going to do once you graduate.  When depicting high school in film, there are a wealth of stories you can extract from this topic, as the late filmmaker John Hughes exemplified in the ‘80s.

Indie-actress Greta Gerwig now makes her solo directorial debut with her semi-autobiographical comedy-drama, “Lady Bird,” which she also wrote, bringing to life a high-school movie that’s every bit as funny as it’s emotional, despite a premise that’s a little familiar.

Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson (Saoirse Ronan) is a senior at a Catholic high-school in Sacramento.  She longs to leave her hometown and head to the east coast to attend college.  At home, she always argues with her mother (Laurie Metcalf), while her father (Tracey Letts) faces the possibility of unemployment.  During Christine’s tumultuous time at home and in school, she’ll do what she can to get through the hardships and forge her own path.

Saoirse Ronan provides one of the best performances of her career.  Although her character isn’t always appreciative of what her parents try to do for her to help her succeed, Ronan portrays Christine in a way that doesn’t make her annoyingly bratty, but rather a girl on the verge of adulthood who’s trying to get through life’s challenges and make a future for herself after graduation.  It’s a genuine portrayal of an adolescent experiencing one of the most significant in her life, complete with the laughs, tears, and anxieties, and Ronan’s performance will help any viewer relate to her journey in some way or another.

Laurie Metcalf is superb as Christine’s hardworking and dedicated mother.  She’s a parent who seems to be at the end of her rope because of her daughter’s behavior, but she still does whatever she can to make sure that her family has the best life possible, despite their economic standing.  Even if Christine doesn’t always reciprocate the affection that her mother provides her, Metcalf still makes sure that her character shows or hints at the unconditional love she has for her daughter.

In terms of the high-school supporting characters, Beanie Feldstein and Lucas Hedges give heartfelt performances as Christine’s best friend and drama-club crush, respectively.  However, Odeya Rush and Timothée Chalamet’s roles as a popular girl and wannabe rock musician are not much more than one-dimensional high-school archetypes, despite decent performances.

While Gerwig’s screenplay follows some similar beats you can find in other high-school/coming-of-age films, it has enough that’s different to help make it stand out from all of those other movies.  The story is a seamless blend of a witty high-school narrative and an emotional family-drama, resulting in a detailed look at what Christine experiences at school and home.

As a director, Gerwig’s able to make transitions between the humorous and dramatic scenes without it feeling too jarring, instead making it an authentic examination of a high-school student who’s coming into her own as an adult.  Gerwig’s able to capture everything that a person is likely to think and feel during this time in their life, and her personal connection to the events of the film is visible in every scene.

High school is a turning point for anyone, and “Lady Bird” uses those defining moments to put on a celebration about finding oneself and exploring the possibilities of what your future may hold.

Final grade: B+