It's 2002 Sacramento. Christine MacPherson (Saoirse Ronan) demands to be called Lady Bird. She has a combative love hate relationship with her hard-working mother Marion (Laurie Metcalf). Her father (Tracy Letts) is struggling. Lady Bird is desperate to go to college in New York despite her mother's money concerns. She has a crush on Danny who is surprised that she actually lives on the other side of the tracks. She abandons her best friend Julie to get close to rich girl Jeanna and rich slacker musician Kyle.
Greta Gerwig brings a personal touch to the mother-daughter relationship and her home town of Sacramento. There is a warmth to their verbal combat. There is real heart to their portrayal. There is biting humor and quirky gentleness. There are real insights into the mother daughter connection. Only one scene troubled me. Saoirse dials up the "Please talk to me" scene to eleven when a nine would be more heart-breaking. I see the emotional push but it gets too manufactured in that one scene. Overall, this is an outstanding film with some great laughs.
Greta Gerwig brings a personal touch to the mother-daughter relationship and her home town of Sacramento. There is a warmth to their verbal combat. There is real heart to their portrayal. There is biting humor and quirky gentleness. There are real insights into the mother daughter connection. Only one scene troubled me. Saoirse dials up the "Please talk to me" scene to eleven when a nine would be more heart-breaking. I see the emotional push but it gets too manufactured in that one scene. Overall, this is an outstanding film with some great laughs.