Lady Bird - Greta Gerwig's Carefully Crafted Masterpiece 

Introduction 
When I sat down to watch Greta Gerwig's 2018 film Lady Bird, my expectations for the film were fairly low. I know that it is one of the most praised A24 films, but I knew nothing about the film going in so my expectations were not very high. By the end of its 94 minute runtime, I was left shocked at how good this film was. An emotionally impactful coming-of-age story that drips with a beautiful, melancholic realism, Lady Bird definitely deserves all the praise that it receives, and here's why. 

Plot & Characters 
Lady Bird is a simple story, really, one that offers the viewer a peek into the life of our main character, Christine "Lady Bird" McPherson. She longs to escape Sacramento, and to escape from her mother, whom she perceives to have no love for her. She desperately tries to climb up the social ladder in school while dealing with her family and her own emotions, which leads to her feeling confused and out-of-touch with her true self. At a glance, this seems to be a typical coming-of-age film that has a female character fall in love, have some issues with her family, and become a better person and we are all happy and in the end. Greta Gerwig cleverly sidesteps these cliches and instead focuses on something that we rarely get to see : the mother-daughter relationship between Lady Bird and Marion. Right from the opening scene, Gerwig provides a crystal clear picture of their relationship. They love each other, but tend to butt heads easily and often, leading to friction and misunderstandings between them. Yes, Lady Bird falls in love. Yes, Lady Bird has drama with her friends. But these plot points are not used in a way that we have all seen before. All of it connects back to the relationship between Lady Bird and Marion, and that is what makes this film unique. Our characters are all very well-written too, which is crucial for a story like this. The dynamic between mother and daughter has to be realistic for the story to succeed, and it is. Lady Bird has to be rebellious, yet sympathetic, and strong, for the audience to root for her, and she is. The supporting characters have to be strong as well, and they are. Gerwig's characters in Lady Bird are insanely well thought out and well-written, almost as if people in real life were copied and pasted into the script. This allows me to segway nicely into my next point;

Saoirse Ronan as Lady Bird

Script 
The dialogue in this film is not perfect. And precisely because it is not perfect, it feels realistic, and not something that has been vetted numerous times and then spoken out. Lines don't make sense occasionally, such as when Lady Bird talks to her mother about her father's depression. Besides it feeling incredibly real, the dialogue in Lady Bird flows along so naturally, so much so that all the conversations, be it between friends or family, feel real. Gerwig once mentioned that she does not care for improvisation by actors, and prefers to write a script as if it has been improvised. That just goes to show the immense talent that she has in writing, that her writing can feel improvised, but is actually not. 

Acting 
The acting in this film is sublime, and is honestly one of my favourite ensemble performances in film thus far. There really isn't a single weak link in the cast. I have previously seen Saoirse Ronan in The Grand Budapest Hotel and The French Dispatch, and she definitely shines brighter than ever as Lady Bird. Her performance in this film has catapulted her up my list of favourite actors. Besides Ronan, everyone else was great too. Laurie Metcalf was the biggest surprise among the cast for me. For a story that revolves around a mother and daughter, both of these characters have to be played to perfection, and Metcalf did not let down on her part. Her performance was painfully brilliant, especially shining during the airport scene. Lucas Hedges was a standout too, although he is more of a secondary character. I really felt for his character too, particularly during my favourite scene of the film, when he visits Lady Bird at work. Beanie Feldstein, Timothée Chalamet, Odeya Rush, Tracy Letts, Jordan Rodrigues and Merielle Scott were all excellent as the supporting cast as well, the film would not be the same without them. They each have a very specific part to play and the film, and they do it exceptionally well. 

Saoirse Ronan and Laurie Metcalf as Lady Bird and Marion

Cinematography & Soundtrack 
After I watched the film, I went to read up about the production, and I was shocked to find out that Lady Bird was not shot on film, but on digital instead. It turns out that the film was shot on a lower resolution than normal, with the look of xerox printer grading being applied in post-production to make digital look like film, with the grungy, grainy texture. I am personally a huge fan of that choice. This is a period piece, but it does not go too far back, taking place in the early 2000s, and this visual effect used puts the film in the context of its time frame. Gerwig wanted to capture the feeling of a photocopy on an early 2000s teenager’s wall, and the film really does elicit that feeling. The pastel colour palette, appropriately selected soundtrack, lighting, and this visual effect all work together in harmony to put the viewer in the time where the film takes place, and makes the film look and sound beautiful as well. 

An example of the excellent lighting in Lady Bird

Conclusion 
Lady Bird is the kind of film that we rarely get to see, one that is so real and so raw thanks to the immense talent in front of and behind the camera. One of A24’s best projects to date, Lady Bird is sure to sweep you off your feet and carry you along for the ride. You might laugh. You might cry. You might call your mother afterwards, or you might learn to appreciate your family and friends more. It’s proof of the magnificence of the film, and of the brilliant mind of Greta Gerwig.