By Emilio Frenk.
Director: Greta Gerwig
Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, Beanie Feldstein, Jordan Rodrigues, Lucas Hedges, Odeya Rush, Kathryn Newton, Louis Smith, Jake McDorman, Laura Marana, Timothée Chalamet and Tracy Letts.
Rating: Excellent.
Actress Greta Gerwig makes her feature film debut as both writer and director with “Lady Bird” and I was very pleased with this film.
The movie takes place in Sacramento, California and tells the story of Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson (Saoirse Ronan) a free spirited high school girl that is pursuing colleges.
Lady Bird´s desire is to get out of Sacramento and try New York. The problem is that her mother Marion (Laurie Metcalf) wants her to stay in California while his father Larry (Tracy Letts) encourages her constantly to pursue her dreams against Marion´s wishes.
Now Lady Bird will do anything in order to get into college, that means even to pump up her grades, that are low and go to New York to pursuit her dream.
Greta Gerwig directed a very unique movie with “Lady Bird” and the results speak for itself. She directed an A list cast that delivered incredible performances.
The screenplay also written by Gerwig was written in a very unique detail and I like the fact that illustrates a part of Sacramento that we didn´t know. That of course has to do with the fact that Gerwig grew up in there and knows that world very well.
The characters in this film were very unique and you identify with every single one of them from the minute the movie starts to the end.
Saoirse Ronan is very good in this movie and gives an outstanding performance. Laurie Metclaf is very good as well as the possessive mother but at the same time caring in this film.
This movie works at all levels and Gerwig´s hard work did pay off and it´s a movie that makes you smile every moment.
Also is a movie about the true meaning of friendship and family, which are very important values in this society and I love the fact how this movie shows this and does it in a very unique matter.
When I saw this film I didn´t know what it was going to be about and that´s another factor that made me enjoy it even more.
Greta Gerwig´s direction was outstanding. She directed her actors impeccably and the camera work, score and editing were very good. Hopefully we can still see her more behind the camera in the future.
“Lady Bird” is one of the year´s best films and I highly recommend it for the screenplay, performances and theme.