Lady Bird (2017)

I thought this was about our beloved First Lady, but this seems fun, too.

I love Laurie Metcalf.

That is all.

Thanks, R1.

I saw this trailer at a movie (Geostorm) that we went and saw last night and it really wasn't very interesting. From the trailer alone I wouldn't go and see it.

There was some nasty business surrounding Gerwig's affair with Noah Baumbach while Jennifer Jason Leigh was pregnant with his child so I'm still kinda unsure whether I want to financially support people like that.

Seems like a very safe straight white people movie to me. I'll probably stream it later as I love Lois Smith. She had her 87th birthday just yesterday!

It's superb. Really funny, really charming, incredibly real. The cast is first-rate from start to finish. A must-see, and I'm surprised to be saying that.

Agree that the cast was first-rate. Lady BIrd will bolster Timothee Chalamet's Oscar prospects for Call Me By Your Name as his role in LB is very different from the role of Elio.

R7,

I thought the same thing. We've seen that many a time, when an actor has a big year with more than one major film that shows a range.

I have always disliked Gerwig as an actress

Whenever I see lady bird Johnson. I always get the sudden urge to want to go out and by a box of cheez-it's, for some reason. Never fails either.

R. 9--Since she is not in the movie, feel free to go and enjoy it as 100% of the critics on Rotten Tomatoes did.

Actually the trailer is all that. It suggests that there is some there there and that this may be the next Juno. The movie, however, is not the next Juno. I didn't dislike it but I was very disappointed. There is no there there. It's a coming of age story without a coming of age. I'm completely nonplussed by the critical acclaim. The cast does what they can (in this case, a whole lot!) but they are all stymied by the static script which.

At the end - spoiler alert -

Ronan gets in to NYU, flies to NY, gets drunk, ends up in the hospital, goes to church, calls home and leaves a message telling Metcalf she loves her. Her finally embracing her given name, Christine, is meant to tell us that she's evolved. But she hasn't evolved at all. Some may say that's the point, but how is that point anything but pointless? Her relationships with Hedges and Chalamett are trite. Her relationships with Fieldstein and the rich girl are trite. Her relationship with Metcalf starts out mildly intriguing but goes nowhere. Metcalf's anger over Ronan wanting to get in to a good East Coast school is completely unconvincing. And if Metcalf can't make something convincing, it's not.

Some lovely little moments and some very Gerwig-ish charming lines dot the movie. But they do not a movie make.

Anything Gerwig does....

I saw Lady Bird today and thought it was absolutely wonderful. It very much deserves its universal acclaim. Brava to Greta Gerwig. I hope she gets some personal Oscar nominations in addition to the ones that should come for Ronan and Metcalf. The mother-daughter relationship was done beautifully. And Lucas Hedges was absolutely adorable. I read that he had his choice of the two young man roles—glad he chose Danny. I have no doubt that Chalamet is brilliant in Call Me By Your Name, but he didn’t really register in this one.

Gerwig is a bitch and a homewrecker

Is this the obligatory indie film that gets Oscar nominations that everyone loves now, but will discover its mediocrity after the Oscars are over.

I liked it more than Brooklyn which I found predictable as fuck. It reminded me of my very volatile relationship with my mother in my teens that (in my early 30s) I can't remember why we were always fighting. Get along fine now.

I will say, as great as Laurie Metcalf is, it's a stretch to buy her as the mother of a teenager at this point.

Lucas Hedges is adorable.

R17, the movie did say that Metcalf’s character had the baby when she was over 40.

Bump, as this film is being discussed in other threads as well.

Saw. It yesterday. LOVED it.

Damn, its RottenTomatoes score remains perfect even after 147 reviews. However, we'll see if its average rating of 8.8 still trails behind CMBYN's 9.1 once the final wave of reviews for that one comes out.

I hated the lead character. She was so annoying. I kept hoping the movie would leave her behind and follow the best friend character or the Lucas Hedges character. I just did not want to spend anymore time with Lady Bird. Laurie Metcalf was great however.

I didn't even like the trailer. I need to watch a "family drama" movie around the holidays like I need a hole in the head. I'll see enough of that at Thanksgiving dinner.

Must be somewhat autobiographical (obnoxious Sacramento girl yearns to go East to be an artiste). Noah Brumbach's Frances Ha from 2012 was based on Greta's real background too.

I'm confused - Is Saoirse playing Marcus Bachmann?

there's nothing i hate more than "quirky" coming of age stories about white "neurotic" girls made by white "neurotic" girls. That trailer is heinous.

I’d love to see Laurie Metcalf win an Oscar.

It has surpassed CMBYN with an average rating of 9.4 by Top Critics on Rotten Tomatoes. FINISH IT!

How twee is the movie?

[quote] I love Lois Smith. She had her 87th birthday just yesterday!

Ahhh...Lois when young : )

ffsss

I hate movies about quirky, bratty she-imps.

I also hate movies with a one-note bickering/whining theme all through the movie.

And I haven't been impressed by anything Mumblecore princess Gerwig has done.

Someone in another thread mentioned Armond White. And really, where the fuck is he? We can usually depend on him to shit up a perfect RT score. No way he isn't tempted after seeing that glossy 100%. And it's all white people as well so it's prime material for ripping apart. Come on, Armond, come through!

Is the cinematography excessively dark and muddy? Or was that just the print I saw at my little indie theater?

Dreadful movie. Don't go.

Wonderful movie. Definitely one of the best of the year.

Are you male or female, R36?

R37, male.

Mediocre. Perfectly ok for a dull Saturday afternoon's viewing if you have nothing better to do.

Unbelievable, r38.

I've seen better episodes of sitcoms.

It didn't even work as a Catholic school satire (though it may simply be the case that Catholic school satire has been OVAH! for a good three decades).

The trailer is a complete bore as is the trailer for that german movie.

Loved the movie- very moving and funny account of the transition from the last stages of childhood into adulthood. No one in the movie is portrayed as completely good or bad, and the parent/child dynamic rings very true.

I loved the many smaller roles, especially the drama club priest. Question for the theatre queens: why does he make the comment that they don't understand "Merrily We Roll Along"? I'm not that familiar with Sondheim but now I'm going to get a recording.

Speaking of sitcoms, Lois was on last week's "9JKL" with DL fave Linda Lavin.

I liked the movie but there is no there there.

BTW, The Florida Project sucks as well. Don't see it unless you think small screaming, cursing children are fun to watch.

I saw it yesterday and based on all the raves I'd read beforehand I was expecting a heck of a lot more than I got. For me it was just okay. There were a lot of nice moments in the film but I found the end to be anti-climactic. As the credits started to roll I was thinking "that's it?".

We are all desperate for intelligent and revelatory films and this is what we get these days.

Horrible movie. Stupid, with bad performances and cunts splayed in every direction.

It doesn’t surprise me that the misogynists of DL would dislike this film, but it does surprise me that they would watch it in the first place.

Oscar will be calling for Laurie Metcalf. Her only other competition will be Allison Janney for Tonya.

It was supposed to be good, r51.

And it is, R53. Excellent writing, directing, and acting.

I will never understand what you, or anyone, thought was "excellent," r54. I sat through Lady Bird, and my major reaction at the end was gladness it was only an hour and a half. I didn't even sit through the credits, and [italic]I always sit through the credits [/italic] .

[quote] Gerwig is a bitch and a homewrecker

The shameless hussy!

I found it serviceable, with some truly funny moments, elevated by the acting.

I thought the film COLUMBUS, which came and went very quietly earlier this year, was much better—truer, more deeply felt, while exploring similar themes as LADY BIRD. I really recommend it. Gorgeously shot.

*SPOILER SPOILER*

The ending jarred me because I thought the hospital bill that's coming which will surely bankrupt her parents would be acknowledged—but it's elided over.

r58, I'm pretty sure she was sent to the campus hospital. Her college health insurance should cover it.

r51, that's your response to someone's not liking this movie, to call them names?

Hasw anyone here seen LADYBIRD, LADYBIRD (1994) ?

Amazing acting. I would suggest that...

I don't like how they have her opening the door and going out of a moving car because that will actually kill you. And this movie is aimed at young people who may copy.

R62, Mary, kids are not going to suddenly start flinging themselves from moving cars because a character in an independent film did it.

Some might

Gerwig in a bizarre skit on the Saoirse Ronan episode of SNL.

Watching Lucas Hedges always makes me wonder if he has relatives on Walton's mountain.

Greta's a cunt, Noah's a cunt. Love Jennifer Jason Leigh.

FUCK LADY BIRD

Is this movie a middle-class/poorer version of Gilmore Girls?

I loved it. The gay reveal was a nice twist and I cried like a little bitch when he begged the titular character not to reveal his sexuality. It was a subplot, but I'm surprised that 68 posts in, no one has mentioned it. Growing up in a lower middle class family, this film hit home.

[bold]Lady Bird Tops Moonlight to Become A24’s Highest Grossing Release[/bold]

[quote]Fresh data from Box Office Mojo reveals that Lady Bird has passed Moonlight to become A24’s new highest-grossing picture. It passed $28.3 million, compared to $27.8 million for the latter. Lady Bird can expect more success moving forward; it hasn’t yet had a full international release. Moonlight saw a 227 percent increase in box office revenue the weekend after winning Best Picture, so it will be interesting to see what some potential awards success would do for Lady Bird.

this movie is GREAT

I agree with R71. In fact, that was my first thought after the end -- this is like a more expensive ABC After-School Special.

I hated Manchester by the Sea as well. Boring!

Doesn't anyone with a brain write scripts anymore? Here's hoping Molly's Game and The Post will be better -- but I'm not banking on it.

I wanted to like this more than I did. I’ve pretty much loved every performance Saoirse Ronan has ever given and this was no exception. I’m thrilled that Laurie Metcalf is getting some much deserved recognition. The film itself seemed a bit amateurish and paint-by-numbers. This is getting a lot comparisons to Juno (2007), but that film is much better than this.

Sweet movie, but I don't get all the acclaim. But then this year seems to be a bit weak. Dunkirk Best Picture? Okay.....

I love Ronan as an actress but don't think this is Oscar worthy. It felt like a long My So-Called Life episode. I biggest disappointment was Laurie Metcalf - not that she isn't good, she's always good cause she's a fantastic actress - but I would definitely pick Allison Janney in I, Tonia who gives a classic, laugh out loud Oscar type performance. Rarely do you love a character SO hateful.

[quote]I hate movies about quirky, bratty she-imps.

[quote]I also hate movies with a one-note bickering/whining theme all through the movie.

[quote]And I haven't been impressed by anything Mumblecore princess Gerwig has done.

I agree with all of these statements, but despite myself, I really loved this movie. I found it genuinely moving and funny. Lucas Hedges was adorable and just gay enough for it all to work. And Chalamet's orgasm arms cracked me up. Funny stuff.

Oh, and I absolutely loved Tracy Letts in a determinedly unshowy performance. His work was so simple and true. That’s a real actor.

If data lounge hated it it must be a masterpiece.

Yeah, that SNL office racing skit is certainly interesting. It almost plays like some writer's bizarre fetish or something. The music sounds like a reworked version of the main theme from "Teen Wolf (1985)."

It's getting an extra boost because of the massive Women in Film thing. If it had been written and directed by a man it would not be receiving these raves.

Can't believe this basic movie is being considered for BP. It just isn't "artsy" enough for me even for the BP nom.

From the inventive lighting and the formal structure of Moonlight to... this, in a year. Honestly, I'd much rather they gave it to the depressing Dunkirk instead.

Most overrated movie of the year.

"It's getting an extra boost because of the massive Women in Film thing. If it had been written and directed by a man it would not be receiving these raves."

Yeah, that's why 95% of critically acclaimed films are directed by men. Sad to see this kind of prejudice on a gay board

When women want a place at the table, they better be able to take the heat the way men always have.

Lady Bird is a token nod to women filmmakers. Let's honor more accomplished films by women directors, not this bit of fluff.

r82, who says men can take the heat? Plenty of men in showbiz are thin-skinned. Plenty of men outside showbiz are thin-skinned, just look at our president.

R81 I don't believe it's getting the acclaim only because it has a female director but I do think it's getting some leeway for some of the clunkier aspects of the script and camerawork. It should be treated as a directorial debut, not some revelatory filmmaking. Reward Gerwig for better work when she has some mileage in her because all this fawning right now just feels a tad patronizing.

R85 - My sentiments exactly.

Give this Gerwig gal time to ripen.

She didn't even get a Golden Globe nomination for Best Director - all five nominees are male. So much for people bending over backwards to award female filmmakers.

Clunky directing. Shoulda reeled in Laurie Metcalf's scenery chewing.

The problem with Laurie Metcalf was the writing, not Laurie Metcalf. The mother was a complete cunt.

The mother was cartoonish.

There's something about Greta Gerwig that annoys me. She's the quirky, kooky, NYC girl, a la Diane Keaton 2.0. I've heard this movie is good & there's no doubt Ronan is an excellent actress and if she doesn't win the Academy Award this round, she will soon, but Gerwig is a big turn off.

Gerwig makes me think of earwig.

The score was AMAZING!

Sound editing was TO DIE FOR!

To Die For was TO DIE FOR!

Hey, this is all about me!

I hope Dunkirk wins.

Whiny, wannabe dramedy, autobiographical about how boring Greta Gerwig didn't want to be from a low-class family.

I'll stick with the song, thanks.

Gerwig was interviewed on CBS this morning. She's so plain. Horrible gums, fat ass but I noticed she always had on low cut shirts flaunting her saggy boobs.

r101, I'd like to see a picture of you. I guess some gay guys who hate women feel the need to attack women for their appearance (even ones who are liberal and gay-friendly)

R102 you're on the DL here. If you can't take it, there's always the Mary Sue..

I liked it very much, but though it had its humorous moments, I would hardly classify it as a "comedy".

r103, you are confusing genuine wit with being a dumb, shallow queen.

She can't do grown-up things. She is stuck in childhood, adolescence and early 20s cutesy "quirkiness" like the cutesy hipster types.

The very definition of Twee. Glad it is peaking early. Frances for the Oscar win.

I finally saw this today and LOVED it. A true piece of brilliance. Even though this is Gerwig's solo directorial debut show has co-wrote and co-directed several other films, so this really feels more mature than one might expect. The performances were perfect and the script a true gem. I adored it from start to finish. Cried during Hedges' scene at the coffee shop alley and when Metcalf was at the airport. Perfect.

Gerwig turned in a remarkable performance in Frances Ha, one of the best films of the past decade. She also was great in Mistress America. Glad she's getting all the praise she deserves. Wish more movies like this came out each year.

I can't understand the praise for this film. It looks like it was shot with some high school kid's Christmas camera and the whole thing is just second rate IMHO. We really celebrate second rate shit these days.

[quote]It looks like it was shot with some high school kid's Christmas camera

That might be because Lady Bird was one of those rare independent films that hit it big, much like Three Billboards. If you were expecting Shape of Water-like cinematography, look elsewhere. I thought it was a beautiful film and it resonated well with me on two fronts: the closeted gay boy storyline and the mom drama.

I found the movie to be very endearing and I identified immediately with the somewhat unlikable lead played by Saoirse Ronan. High school was brutal and many of us wanted to be hotter, richer and generally more appealing than we were. Many friendships were ruined over the petty need to climb the social ladder and so many white lies and poor choices were peddled in order to do so. As adults, we can look back and laugh at the stupidity of our actions - but in that moment it seemed that life depended on very trivial things. Most of us can remember the Hell that was high school and the need to fit in somewhere better than where we began - in 9th grade (or in my case the 7th grade - small, private religious school). The dynamics between the characters were all very real to me anecdotally. It is a beautiful little film - not groundbreaking but very poignant, nostalgic and sweet nonetheless. I highly recommend it.