In the bonus track of "Lady Bird," the talented writer-director Greta Gerwig discussed the theme of her film as growing up and despising where you are from, then recognizing the beauty of your surroundings at a later age. She seemed to believe that this was a universal part of growing up. But the truth is probably closer to that being Gerwig's personal experience and not necessarily a part of the human condition.
The structure of the film was the coming-of-age of the main character called Lady Bird. Growing up in Sacramento, she apparently hated her home town so much that she adopted the dream of attending school at one of the Ivy League institutions. Lady Bird was not a particularly good student. Nor was she interested in the academic programs of Yale or Columbia. She only saw those prestigious institutions as her exit from Sacramento.
This would have been a better film if the absence of basic human values had been explored in greater depth. Lady Bird is in effect mortgaging her future and digging herself into a financial nightmare to attend Columbia. And, when she is finally admitted and begins school, she lands in a hospital emergency room after getting drop-dead drunk. So much for the idealistic young college student!
Another problem with the film was the troubled relationship of Lady Bird and her mother. In the bonus track, Gerwig noted that the story of Lady Bird and her mother was a "love story." But it was never made clear why the mother was not more supportive of her daughter. It was almost as if the mother wanted her child to fail in life. The mother was a psychologist who counseled people in a hospital. Yet in her home life, no matter what the daughter did, the mother would find a way to criticize her and often demean the daughter in a troubling way. The passive father would never intervene and consequently enabled the continuation of this toxic relationship. And are we to believe that the young woman throwing herself out of the car in response to her mother's tongue lashing is a funny scene?
As the film progressed, the mood became more and more depressing. Are we supposed to admire Lady Bird when she cheats her way through her math class? Is it possible to admire the mother and daughter, when their favorite pastime is to walk through open houses on Sunday? Are we supposed to empathize with a leading character with such wide mood swings that she becomes a Jekyll and Hyde?
Sadly, this indie film project is way overrated. Despite the hard-working cast, the overall effect is a self-indulgent cinematic memoir and a deeply troubling slice of Americana.
The structure of the film was the coming-of-age of the main character called Lady Bird. Growing up in Sacramento, she apparently hated her home town so much that she adopted the dream of attending school at one of the Ivy League institutions. Lady Bird was not a particularly good student. Nor was she interested in the academic programs of Yale or Columbia. She only saw those prestigious institutions as her exit from Sacramento.
This would have been a better film if the absence of basic human values had been explored in greater depth. Lady Bird is in effect mortgaging her future and digging herself into a financial nightmare to attend Columbia. And, when she is finally admitted and begins school, she lands in a hospital emergency room after getting drop-dead drunk. So much for the idealistic young college student!
Another problem with the film was the troubled relationship of Lady Bird and her mother. In the bonus track, Gerwig noted that the story of Lady Bird and her mother was a "love story." But it was never made clear why the mother was not more supportive of her daughter. It was almost as if the mother wanted her child to fail in life. The mother was a psychologist who counseled people in a hospital. Yet in her home life, no matter what the daughter did, the mother would find a way to criticize her and often demean the daughter in a troubling way. The passive father would never intervene and consequently enabled the continuation of this toxic relationship. And are we to believe that the young woman throwing herself out of the car in response to her mother's tongue lashing is a funny scene?
As the film progressed, the mood became more and more depressing. Are we supposed to admire Lady Bird when she cheats her way through her math class? Is it possible to admire the mother and daughter, when their favorite pastime is to walk through open houses on Sunday? Are we supposed to empathize with a leading character with such wide mood swings that she becomes a Jekyll and Hyde?
Sadly, this indie film project is way overrated. Despite the hard-working cast, the overall effect is a self-indulgent cinematic memoir and a deeply troubling slice of Americana.