5-time Oscar nominated film 'Lady Bird' is out in cinemas this week!
Greta Gerwig’s solo directorial debut is a charming coming-of-age tale of an outspoken young woman who dreams of a life beyond her family and Sacramento, California.
Set in 2002, ‘Lady Bird’ follows titular character Christine ‘Lady Bird’ McPherson (Saoirse Ronan) as she deals with the trials and tribulations of her senior year whilst navigating her turbulent relationship with her mother (Laurie Metcalf). The film also stars Tracy Letts, Lucas Hedges, Timothée Chalamet, Beanie Feldstein, Stephen McKinley Henderson, and Lois Smith.
An endearing and self-assured debut from Gerwig, ‘Lady Bird’ is an achingly personal and emotional forage into the all too popular coming-of-age genre. It’s a genre that audiences are all too familiar with but Gerwig’s comedy-drama injects some much-needed sensitivity and originality into the over-saturated genre.
The film’s leading lady is three-time Academy Award nominee Ronan and the honesty in her performance about the confusion of our teenage years is effortless. It’s a performance that deserves every drop of praise and at only twenty-three, ‘Lady Bird’ is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Ronan’s talent and range.
Everything, from the cultural references to the wardrobe, is reminiscent of the early 2000’s and it’s this attention to detail that reinforces the authenticity and voice of the film. Combined with Sam Levy’s cinematography, ‘Lady Bird’ reveals a city, and home, that even audiences will soon come to miss.
The heart of the film is its mother-daughter relationship and, thanks to Gerwig’s script and direction, it’s a dynamic that is portrayed beautifully by Ronan and Metcalf. Gerwig’s screenplay is well-written, well-crafted and full of life. Despite the emotional weight of it all, there’s a sense of playfulness and a deadly sardonic wit is peppered throughout the film. The brilliance of the film’s script lies in the fact that no matter how lived-in and relatable Lady Bird’s experiences are, they don’t feel tired and audiences are exposed to every high and low as if for the first time.
A critical darling, ‘Lady Bird’ is nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress at this year’s Oscars – nominations which are all thoroughly deserved.
A must-see this awards season, ‘Lady Bird’ is a triumph and it sings with authenticity.
‘Lady Bird’ is in Australian theatres February 15th and UK theatres February 16th.
