Greta Gerwig’s Masterpiece: Lady Bird
In 2017, writer/director Greta Gerwig burst onto the scene with Lady Bird, starring Saoirse Ronan as the title character. The film follows Lady Bird through her final year of high school as she discovers her true identity and navigates a turbulent relationship with her stubborn yet loving mother. Despite receiving five Academy Award nominations, including Best Achievement in Directing and Best Motion of the Year, the film’s resonance with critics and audiences alike goes beyond accolades. Lady Bird is a rare gem that perfectly captures the essence of growing up in an ever-evolving world.
The Mother-Daughter Dynamic: Lady Bird and Marion McPherson
One of the key points of the movie is Lady Bird’s relationship with her mother, Marion McPherson. The film’s opening scene instantly grabs the audience’s attention, showcasing Lady Bird’s moody, overdramatic demeanor and her mother’s harsh reality check. This scene is pivotal because it encapsulates the dynamic most teenagers have with their parents. Lady Bird is a young girl trying to understand the world while going through a rebellious phase that her mother must contend with. Marion’s love for her daughter remains constant throughout the film, even when she stops talking to Lady Bird after discovering her application to an expensive school. Marion’s role is to guide Lady Bird in a positive direction, which is why she delivers tough love throughout the film.
Teenage Blindness and Life Lessons
Often, teenagers can be blind to the important lessons their parents teach them. We tend to dismiss whatever’s being taught because we don’t have a full grasp on the world and cling to whatever truth we believe in our heads. Lady Bird taps into the adolescent experience of dreaming about the future while not understanding the importance of certain moments that shape us as human beings. Lady Bird’s foray into relationships, trying to fit in with the popular crowd, and her first sexual experience are all vital moments in a young adult’s life. What makes these moments in Lady Bird so great is that Greta Gerwig doesn’t sugarcoat or romanticize these important lessons.
Realistic Depictions of Growing Up
When Lady Bird finally has her special moment with her dream guy, the sex only lasts a couple of seconds, highlighting the inexperience most teenagers have when diving into sex. Kyle’s response following Lady Bird’s clear disappointment was perfect, “You’re gonna have so much unspecial sex in your life.” The issues presented in the film don’t necessarily pinpoint the struggles that women face when growing up. Sure, Lady Bird’s journey is written from the perspective of a woman, but it’s not hard to identify with some of the things that the main character is going through.
Who didn’t immediately go out to the store and buy an adult magazine at the turn of 18? Or who hasn’t aimlessly walked through life not understanding why your parents seem to hate you even though they’re showing you tough love? The real world is unforgiving, and the moment we leave home, we’re no longer under the protection of our parents. When Lady Bird finally transitions into adulthood by leaving her nest and going away to college, she’s instantly smacked hard with a dose of reality. It’s during her moment of reflection that Lady Bird finally understands why her mother was such a hard-ass, and the moment she calls to thank Marion McPherson shows the growth of the young woman who’s smoothly evolving into a mature adult.
A Timeless Coming-of-Age Story
Lady Bird isn’t the flashiest or prettiest film you’ll ever see, nor is it a politically savvy picture that leaves an impression on you forever. It’s a small and intimate portrait of life shown in a span of 95 minutes. It doesn’t feel like a Hollywood story where a bunch of mid-40s men try to pen a feature that exemplifies the most crucial aspects of our life. Of course, I can’t go through the entire article without commending Greta Gerwig’s sensitive and impeccable direction. It’s not just the director pulling out tremendous performances from Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, and the amazing cast, but it’s the attention to detail that defined the early 2000s style and culture. Lady Bird is easily one of the best coming-of-age stories of the modern era, and this timeless piece will be remembered because both men and women can identify with the trials and tribulations of being a young adult.
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