Oscars Countdown: 'Lady Bird'

Lady Bird, both the film and the character, should drive viewers up a wall with their incessant bickering, but they really don’t. We can thank *googles the proper spelling of his eventual wife* Saoirse Ronan for that. Lady Bird’s charm is a risky one that pays off because the film’s combative nature acts as a thin veil for its relatable protagonist. She makes mistakes, pays for them, and moves on. There’s a very real life understanding of cause and effect in this movie that grounds the whole experience.

I suppose director Greta Gerwig is an honorary co-lead in this movie, and I wouldn’t be surprised to learn this was somewhat autobiographical. *Googles again* it was, at least to a point. The sense of realism in Lady Bird’s ongoing conflicts has to come from some sense of experience, which seems to be the limited case. Lady Bird could’ve been irritating in so many ways, but thrives because Gerwig has a thorough understanding of human beings.

A Story For Everyone

I found myself relating to problems I don’t even have, just because they were presented so effectively. I always felt I’d grow tired of high school movies, only to find I’ve only grown tired of bad high school movies. I similarly found answers to questions this movie doesn’t even address that are present in my own life by applying the same principles found throughout the film. I’d love to see different character studies from Greta Gerwig moving forward that take this same level of attention to personal detail and apply it to different characters and settings.

Lady Bird isn’t shy about marketing itself towards a mother-daughter relationship, and the many conflicts that come with it over the course of young adulthood. I obviously can’t speak to that specific connection but, from a distance, I’d venture to say this film actually functions best from the perspective of people (particularly younger people) examining the conflicts they experience within themselves. This movie is a series of growing pains from start to finish. Some of the familial or friendly relationships don’t necessarily play out in the most compelling way, but the internal clockwork behind these missteps justifies whatever you may doubt.

Not Much To Criticize

It’s not the most through the roof hilarious or lovable movie ever, but there aren’t many negatives to toss in Lady Bird’s charming direction. That’s that kind of mistake-free stuff that makes a killing on Rotten Tomatoes, which this film absolutely did. The dialogue feels real with just enough witty tweaking to liven things up. The laughs are consistent, the emotions are unforced, and the whole story comes together quite nicely.

It’s tough to criticize a movie for being occasionally aimless or flighty when the protagonist’s central character flaw is being occasionally aimless or flighty. Any of the more frustrating turns in the story feed into the idea that Lady Bird continues to grow as a plot and as a young woman. So I suppose there’s an underlying immunity when the film’s second act suffers from some pacing lulls and a less interesting supporting cast. I suppose there’s a screenwriting lesson in there. Always work your potential mistakes into the plot as a storytelling device. As a viewer, however, these minor imperfections are still worth mentioning.

The Verdict

I only can’t say Lady Bird was a pleasant surprise because, long ago, this was the first 2017 movie to gain any serious Oscar buzz. I’ll say it met some high expectations. *Glances back at marriage certificate to confirm proper spelling* Saoirse Ronan delivers one of the strongest performances of the year, yet again inflating this absolute monster of a Best Actress category. Lady Bird isn’t your average coming of age story and, in doing so, it’s one of the few that actually feels right.

Some Bonus Rambling

Off topic, but I often wonder how “Oscar buzz” works. If you actually asked however many film fanatics what their personal best picture is, the results would be all over the map. Lady Bird would be right in the thick of things. There would likely be four or five nominees in serious contention. Yet the powers that be just decide that Three Billboards and The Shape of Water will jockey for position throughout the last few months. And this happens every year; there’s talk of a serious pair of contenders. Then we stick around to see which side the coin lands on, instead of a wide-open, cinematic grand prix.

Our culture may have a fascination with the idea of two finalists, and that fabricated “one or the other” showdown. Or the Academy is just corrupt in favor of the two highest bidders. I’ll let you decide which tin foil hat to sport. If we ever run out of social atrocities, I’d like to turn our next award season crusade in the direction of actually getting these people to vote for their favorite nominated movies. Then, release the final voting totals. The results would likely fascinate people. Anyway, I’m in favor of Lady Bird and better Oscar voting. Someone make a hashtag.