LADY BIRD

US, 2017, 93 minutes, Colour.
Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, Tracy Letts, Lucas Hedges, Beanie Feldstein, Lois Smith, Jordan Rodrigues, Odeya Rush, Kathryn Newton, Stephen McKinley? Henderson.
Directed by Greta Gerwig.

Every reviewer has said, or is going to say, that Lady Bird reminds them of films that Greta Gerwig has appeared in and/or has written. So this reviewer is going to say the same – because it is true.

Here is a film set in Sacramento, California, in 2002. Partly autobiographical?

Information on Greta Gerwig indicates that she was born in Sacramento, 1983 (which makes her two years younger than the protagonist of Lady Bird), that she was brought up as a Unitarian but went to a Catholic school.

There is something distinctive about the films that it Greta Gerwig writes as well as about her delivery – there is wit, there is nonchalance, there is determination, there is some seething under the surface, there is a desire to be agreeable… And all this is to the fore in Lady Bird.

Two words to describe the writing and the direction: perspective and sensitivity.

Here we are in the US in 2002, a cross-section of people who live in Sacramento, ordinary Californians. They work in hospitals, in IT. The children go to high schools and are involved in studies, school activities like plays, get together, listen to music, experiment with drugs, are preoccupied with sexuality and their identity. Because of the incisiveness and insight of the writing, we get to know a great number of characters fairly well. And their parts are sensitively written and performed.

One of the advantages of the film is that many of the sequences are particularly brief yet significant. Though the running time of Lady Bird is 95 minutes, with such brief and telling sequences, it seems more in the sense of that there is more to see and to reflect on.

Saoirse Ronan has been a significant actress since she was a girl, Oscar-nominated 10 years earlier for Atonement. She has appeared in a range of interesting films including Hannah, The Lovely Bones, Brooklyn. She is the type of actress that can inhabit a role, becoming the character rather than a star whom we recognise instantly. This is a very subtle performance – and her Christine, “Lady Bird�, is an irritating character, a frequently likeable character, a teenager who is self-absorbed, who has been put upon by her always critical mother, supported by a rather depressed and soft father, making friends at school, exploiting teachers, choosing boyfriends (rather unwisely), yearning to be out of Sacramento yet the nun teaching her tells her that her assignment on the city is actually full of love for the city she declares she hates.

Laurie Metcalf is very strong as her ever-criticising mother, loving her daughter, doing her best, wanting her daughter to the best she can be but unable to be verbally affirming. Tracy Letts is very effective as her father. In fact, the whole cast, especially the teenagers at school, have been well selected and bring their characters to vivid life, especially Beanie Feldstein as her friend Julie whom she momentarily betrays and Lucas Hedges as her friend Danny.

So, we are immersed in the school year 2002 – 2003, reminded of the invasion of Iraq and its political consequences.

Of interest is the church background. Greta Gerwig attended a Catholic school but is not a Catholic and this is the case with Lady Bird, receiving a blessing instead of communion, for instance. There are Catholic motifs role throughout the film, the celebration of Mass and the enthusiastic response (despite a lot of the students being bored and distracting one another). There is a genial priest, Father Leviatch (Stephen McKinley? Anderson), a widower, ordained, taking the students for drama and putting on a Stephen Sondheim musical. His successor, very amusingly, takes the drama and directs as if it were a football match. Lois Smith is a genially tolerant none.

The characters of this film have great qualities but are also flawed, making this an always interesting film, audiences being able to identify easily at times, distance at other times – which makes it quite a substantial drama.

1. Awards and acclaim? Greta Gerwig, as writer, actor, director? His style, idiosyncratic personality, writing lines and delivery of lines?

2. The Sacramento locations, 2002? The family home, the streets, school, theatre, the airport? Ordinary and authentic feel? The contrast with the sequences in New York City? Apartments, bars, hospital? The musical score?

3. Autobiographical background? The Catholic school, priests and nuns, old style, the liturgy intercut throughout the film? Lady Bird and her being Unitarian? Going to Communion but receiving a blessing?

4. The introduction, in the car, mother and daughter, listening to the Grapes of Wrath? Weeping? Talking, sharing? Clashing? Setting a tone?

5. Christine, her name, age, 17, turning 18? At school, her activities over the school year 2002-2003? The focus on herself, her room and her activities, in church, in class, the criticisms? Aloof? Her friendship with Jules? The bond between them? It on the periphery? Signing up for the theatre, the casting, Jules and the central will? Her interest in Danny? His presence, going out with him, the kiss? The envy of his grandmother’s house? The Thanksgiving dinner and not staying at home? The play, the aftermath, the men’s toilet, discovering Danny kissing? Are being upset? Crossing out his name?

6. The attraction to Kyle, the band, his personal style, going out on dates, his seeming aloofness, reading, talking? The bedroom? The pressure? Her saying she was ready, the sex, brevity, her reaction?

7. Danny, pleasant, in the play, rehearsals, with Lady Bird, his being discovered? Gay, coming to the diner, talking with Lady Bird, her support?

8. The contrast with Kyle, as a personality, detached, reading, the music and performance, the quotes, the range of friends, Jenna? The interactions with the sexual encounter? Somewhat detached, the aftermath?

9. Jules, a single mother, the absent father? Her friendship with Lady Bird? The size, on the periphery, sharing with her friend, signing up, the audition, getting the roll, her success?

10. The priest, the late vocation, his enthusiasm and experience, directing the plane, the acting class and the challenge to weep first? Putting on Sondheim? Happy, thinking that the audience did not understand it? His getting sick? His successor, the jovial priest, the football coach, demonstrating the football moves for the performance, and everybody taking notes?

11. The play, the performance, success, the audience?

12. Lady Bird’s mother, the background of her birth, growing up, her mother and her hard personality, her own parents? Always critical? Yet love? Every opportunity and criticism? At home, the meals? Her relationship with her husband? The issue of Lady Bird going to college, discovering the truth, upset, the airport and driving away, her returning, received by her husband? The significance of her husband putting her letters in the bag, Lady Bird reading them? The phone call?

13. The contrast with her father, pleasant, soft, his IT work, losing his job? Dressing up for the interview? Miguel present? Urging him on? His helping his daughter with the financial situation, college? The farewell at the airport? The final phone call to him?

14. The presence of Miguel, adopted, in the house, as a son? At the diner, the jobs, Lady Bird and Jules, causing trouble? Miguel’s girlfriend, leaving? The meals? The rings, arguments? Lady Bird talking with the girlfriend and her being nice and affirming?

15. Jena, the glamour, Lady Bird dropping Jules? The parties, the lie about the house and her being found out? The nature of the friendship? Dropping it? Reuniting with Jules, seeking her out?

16. The teachers, the comments about Lady Bird and her work, maths, marks, trying to improve? The advice about college? Negative aspects? The mail, her getting entry?

17. The decision, the graduation, going to New York, the farewell at the airport, in New York, drinking, in hospital – and her phoning home?

18. A self-centred teenager moving towards adulthood? The future?