Lady Bird (2017)
A fresh coming of age story disarming the biggest skeptics.
Presentation:
Warm, soft and unassuming visuals provide a comfortable setting for a drama reminiscent of Wes Anderson while holding its own unique sensibilities. Greta Gerwig delivers a quirky, uplifting and deeply personal coming of age tale with an amusing vibe. I would say it’s quite humorous with genuine chuckles and smiles. The pacing, drama and details are very fresh covering all the aspects a teenager would experience in 2003. Saoirse Ronan absolutely nails her role with youthful vigor and imperfect complexion as well as a naively strong personality. Gerwig demonstrates her competence for making good films in contrast with more divisive films like Barbie. There is nothing didactic about this script, no agenda, it’s purely a genuinely solid story with female audiences in mind. The heart of this film is a tricky relationship between daughter and mother. It’s complicated, dysfunctional, but also heartwarming. Nothing is particularly melodramatic and feels rooted in reality through its endearing cast.
Story:
There are several aspects that really make this film work. First you have some very well written scenes and scenarios. Some will be hit or miss if the time period and references don't pertain to you. The Dave Matthews music, the marijuana scenes, it is all so specific and oddly autobiographical. The mother daughter relationship is exceptional, highlighting the volatile love and sudden passive aggressiveness that so often jarringly coexists. There’s just a lot of subtleties that this film does well and it was a pleasure to watch.
Conclusion:
Women’s stories are compelling when done right. Although the film clearly has female voices as a center focus, nothing is imposing for what I believe is a tasteful approach to feminism, which should effortlessly bring male audiences along for the ride. It’s one of most disarming dramas and one of the best coming of age tales I’ve experienced in recent memory. However, the situations are oddly specific and may feel foreign for some audiences and countries, whom may find themselves unable to grasp the unique charm Gerwig has captured.
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Recommendations
Mood piece for romantics of Taipei cinema.