March Movie Review

Story by Phillip Pyle »

Lady Bird

Many coming-of-age movies fail to accurately portray the teenage years. Whether it’s a comical hyperbole, as with Dazed & Confused, Heathers, and Mean Girls, or just candidly falls short, coming-of-age movies are not indicative of my own high school experience.

That preconceived notion changed after I watched Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird. Although reviews should not be the only factor in deciding whether a movie is good or not, it is impossible to ignore the rave this movie has received. At one time, Lady Bird was the best-reviewed film on Rotten Tomatoes, and it still sits at 99%.

It is hard to describe what makes this movie so special, but I will try my best to give it the justice it deserves.

First, this movie has superb acting. Saoirse Ronan, who plays “Lady Bird,” plays a role that is so honest and raw that you feel like you are looking through her eyes. I was familiar with Ronan from Hannah, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Atonement, The Lovely Bones, and Brooklyn, but her acting stands out in Lady Bird. Three more supporting acting roles cannot be overlooked. Lady Bird’s mother, played by Laurie Metcalf, plays a role that is so common in teenagers’ lives. She constantly gives attention to her daughter, which is her version of loving her daughter. Lucas Hedges and Timothee Chalamet round out the fantastic cast. Hedges, who is also known for Manchester By the Sea and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, plays the role of a confused teenager who just wants to be typical. On the other hand, Chalamet, who was a nominee for best actor in Call Me By Your Name, plays an insensitive “cool” teen.

The other main factor of my affinity for this film is its story. On the surface, the story is about the emotional and reckless world of a teen. However, it is much simpler than that. Lady Bird is about the relationship between a mother and daughter, and I couldn’t think of better actresses to play those parts than Laurie Metcalf and Saoirse Ronan. This is a very underrepresented relationship in movies because no one wants to admit to the complicated nature of a mother and daughter relationship.

I am left with a similar opinion of this movie weeks later. This was the first teen film that was honest and didn’t sugarcoat adolescence. There weren’t ridiculous depictions of bullying or corny dialogue. Instead, the audience was left with the crystal clear image of teens. Not all of them were rich or had perfect home lives, as that isn’t how American society works.

Senior Leslie Douglas says Lady Bird is her favorite movie that she has recently seen.

“I felt like I could really relate to it because I’m at that point in my life,” said Douglas, “It was very moving and I cried.”

Lady Bird is a movie that I will never forget about. It was revolutionary because it was the first movie that I’ve seen to accurately show teenagers for who they are – kids.

Future Movies

“I’m looking forward to them [Mary and the Witch’s Flower, Red Sparrow, Annihilation, Thoroughbreds, and Incredibles 2] because firstly, I’m a huge fan of Hayao Miyazaki movies and own them all, so I plan to add it to my collection. With the others, they seem like very dramatic and psychological movies, which is my favorite genre to experience in film. I love getting proven wrong, feeling confused, and needing to google explanations after the movie ends! Movies that stick with you seem to be the most impactful, and these movies look like they can have that affect,” said Haley Hoffmann, Sr.

“I’m looking forward to Avengers: Infinity War. I bought tickets about 2 hours after they went on sale. A few months ago I watched all the MCU movies because I saw the first Infinity War trailer. Now I’m a huge fan of Marvel movies,” said Andrew Harmon, Sr.

Coming Soon To Theaters – A Quiet Place, Ready Player One, Avengers: Infinity War, Thoroughbreds, Flower, and Incredibles 2