Movie Review - Lady Bird

Lady Bird **** (out of 5) (R) For openers, don’t be confused by this title and the opening of Rob Reiner’s biopic about former President Johnson, LBJ. This Lady Bird is not his wife; she’s a moody teenager (Saiorse Ronan) named Christine, living in Sacramento in 2002, who decided that moniker suited her nature better than her given name. She hates her mom for being too demanding; likes her gentle, supportive dad, and can’t wait for her senior year to end, so she can flee to a college far, far away, despite many obstacles.

Demographically, this is a coming-of-age dramedy that should have bored me into slumber. The premise is well-worn; the genre is not exactly in my wheelhouse. What teenager with a prominent role in a movie in the past few decades hasn’t yearned to live elsewhere? But this one proves to be one of those sleepers that makes the critic gig such a treat. Greta Gerwig, a solid Indie star in front of the cameras, excels in her second outing as both writer and director. The script’s humor is realistic, and consistent with the characters and setting. There are none of the easy laughs we get from sitcoms in which precocious kids or randy seniors toss out lines that wouldn’t normally be found in Nature. Or living rooms.

Gerwig’s other smart moves were in casting. Ronan is truly precocious as a thespian, adding to her impressive resume that already includes two Oscar nominations among a slew of other honors. She may be a secret member of the Fanning family, since her chops are right up here with Dakota and Elle, and there are enough physical similarities for conspiracy theorists to run with. Discuss among yourselves.

Laurie Metcalf, best known to most as Roseanne Barr’s sitcom sister, Jackie, shines in a layered portrayal of a mother overwhelmed with difficulties, clashing loudly and often with her daughter, while showing the love pulsating under her frustrations. Tracy Letts delivers Richard-Jenkins-on-a-budget, as the soft-spoken, lovingly feckless dad who balances Metcalf’s shrillness.

As Lady Bird explores romance and strategic moves to increase her odds of acceptance and much-needed scholarships to Eastern schools, we laugh and ache with her in the way good films generate. No one in the audience has to exert themselves with suspension of disbelief, or other burdens to relate to the protagonist and her course. Empathy flows naturally, which is the best indicator of fine writing and acting. Expect nominations in several categories. (11/17/17)

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