Greta Gerwig's debut solo film, "Lady Bird," shines with fabulous performances from the entire cast, most notably Saoirse Ronan who plays Christine "Lady Bird" McPherson, a teenager trying to figure out where she stands whilst constantly feuding with her mum (Laurie Metcalf). Christine is a rebellious and ambitious teenager, whose charm throughout the film compels the spectator to feel a wide range of emotions - from joy to cringing - has a warmth of character that is utterly charming.
Most directors don't have near perfect debut films, however, Gerwig has shown her skill and talent in writing and bringing a superb screenplay to life in a coming-of-age story unlike any other.
Essentially, we focus upon the mother-daughter relationship. Surrounding them are characters like Julie, who's incredibly charming and smart, played by Beanie Feldstein; Kyle, the cool guy around school, played by Timothée Chalamet; and Danny, a confused teenager who falls in love with Lady Bird, played by Lucas Hedges. Throughout the entire film, the cast is what gives it the push to greatness. I could not see anyone else as Lady Bird or the other characters, as they all delivered outstanding performances and, in some cases, played very conflicted characters.
Throughout the film, Ronan's performance is so real and compelling that we as the spectator are sucked into the reality of the film and at no point do you question that; that is why she scored herself a ‘Best Actress’ nomination for the Academy Awards. The cinematography is superb and goes hand-in-hand with the vast range of colours shining through, showing the dark and light sides of life in Sacramento.
The film is about how hard it is for teenagers to grasp the struggles of adult life and it has been captured with charm and emotion. This film will go down in my list as one of my favourites of recent years. It’s a hilarious joyride and I think it’s a shame it didn't score any Academy Awards, however, it scored two great wins at the Golden Globes.
5/5
Ben Rolph
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