Lady Bird (2017)

Saoirse Ronan plays Lady Bird. We all knew a Lady Bird. In high school, in college, at work. Male or female. The misfit toy, the square peg, the rebel without a cause. Someone nobody thought was anything, but in reality, extraordinary. Extraordinary by just being who they are and unafraid of what others will think of them in doing so.

Lady Bird is a triumphant film of 2017. Only one emotion swept through me as I sat and watched. Pure joy. Lady Bird is an entirely memorable character. In some ways, a feminist answer to Max Fischer from Rushmore. The way she navigates through her humble catholic school upbringing is hilarious. She uniquely adapts to the pitfalls of the coming-of-age. The discovery of love, sex, popularity, rejection and the anticipation of college. At the same time, Lady Bird wishes she was something more and much to the chagrin of her own mother, who wishes she could just be normal. Laurie Metcalf's performance as Mrs. McPherson is heartbreaking and real. A mother in the cross-hairs of unconditional love and utter disappointment in her daughter. Lady Bird's dynamic with her mother throughout the film is chilly and dismissive, but deep inside, she fully appreciates all that she has given to her, and vice-versa.

As a former socially anxious, awkward teenager, I can certainly relate to wishing I were somewhere else, wishing I was someone I wasn't and perhaps unappreciative of what I already had. Lady Bird doesn't just simply rehash the coming-of-age story for us all to harken back to way back when, but to reflect in an adult manner, what it means to have a family that cares about you through it all. For that, Lady Bird is worth every second of your time. You'd be unfortunate to miss it.