Not The First Lady

Just in case you were confused, since there is also another movie floating around these days about Lyndon Johnson.   "Lady Bird" is as far away from the White House as it can get.

Indeed, this is a review that will use the word "quirky" a lot.   I'll provide the final count at the end.   Because "Lady Bird" is the first directorial work of the quirky Greta Gerwig, who has made a history of playing super quirky characters in some really quirky independent movies, most notably "Frances Ha" and "Maggie's Plan."   Both of them were reviewed here previously and I probably said they were...quirky.

Now, quirky can be a good thing and, in relation to "Lady Bird," it most notably is.   I was captivated by the performances in this also quirky film about a Sacramento-based Catholic high school senior named Christine and played by Saoirse ("Brooklyn") Ronan.   For some reason, she prefers to go by the name of Lady Bird.   I guess that's because she's so freakin' quirky.

Well, Lady Bird's home life is a bit of a mess with an unemployed dad played by Tracy Letts and an overbearing nurse/mother essayed by the always welcome Laurie Metcalf.   Plus there's an Asian brother named Miguel who must be adopted even though his disparate ethnicity is never really addressed.  

Quirky, I know.

Lady Bird and Mom have this very complex love/hate/love/hate relationship and the scenes, while difficult to watch, are riveting at the same time.   If I see Metcalf's name on the short list of Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actress, I will hardly be shocked. Frankly, there are times where this movie is really all about her and not the title character.

So, Lady Bird goes about her senior year, quirkily engaged in the things high school seniors do.   Trying out for the school musical.   Testing her virginity with not one but two boys.   Fighting with her best friend.   And even tying a "Just Married to Jesus" sign to the back of a nun's car.

I told you she was quirky.   

Lady Bird's main goal is to finally leave Sacramento for a big school in New York City, but finances could get in the way.   So, in a lot of ways, Lady Bird is just like any other high school senior with the same life decisions to make.  The difference is that she's...well...quirky.

Director Gerwig, who also wrote the uber-quirky script, does have a good eye for bringing out the nuances of such a mundane subject.  It's very much in tune with some of the quirky characters she herself has played on screen.   If nothing else, she is consistent.

At the end, I have no idea why I liked "Lady Bird," but I did.

Gee, I must be quirky, too.

LEN'S RATING:  Three-and-a-half stars.

QUIRKY COUNT:  15.   Really 16 if you include the mention of the word in this line.

Dinner last night:  Ravioli.