ReelBob: ‘Lady Bird’ ★★★★

By Bob Bloom

It’s a slippery slope attempting to capture on film the angst and complexities of being a teenager.

One false note, one bad choice of casting, and the illusion is shattered.

Luckily, actress-writer Greta Gerwig avoided those pitfalls in her superb directorial debut, “Lady Bird.”

The movie rings so true that at times you feel as if you were eavesdropping on a real family.

Saorise Ronan stars as Christine McPherson, who prefers to be called “Lady Bird.” Like most teenage girls (OK, and many boys), she is self-centered, selfish, constantly annoyed with her mother and constantly seeking validation and status.

The film is set in 2002 in Sacramento, Calif., a city that Lady Bird despises.

Her dream is to go East to college, but her family’s financial situation — as well as her grades — are holding her back.

Her strong-willed and determined mother, Marion (Laurie Metcalf in an Academy Award-worthy supporting role), is a nurse who works overtime to help keep her family afloat, especially after her husband, Larry (the always dependable Tracy Letts), loses his job.

These events are more of an annoyance to Lady Bird, who only views them through the narrow prism of how they impact her future plans.

At times, “Lady Bird” offers a vibe similar to last year’s “The Edge of Seventeen,” in which Hallie Steinfeld played a self-absorbed, insecure teen battling self-esteem and sibling issues.

Gerwig, who also wrote the movie, brilliantly conveys the various dynamics that makes adolescence such an emotional minefield: the little hurts that are expanded into giant humiliations, the constant drive to be free of parental control and spread one’s wings and most importantly, the need for peer acceptance and recognition.

Ronan breathlessly embraces all these feelings and channels them into a memorable performance that will captivate you. Your feelings about Lady Bird are continually in flux; at times, you want to chide her for her lack of empathy and selfishness, while at other moments you want to offer her a protective hug.

Ronan could earn a best actress Oscar nomination for her portrayal — genuine and a bit heartbreaking.

Metcalf and Letts are perfectly cast, with Metcalf’s fierce, demanding, yet compassionate Marion, providing a strong foundation that keeps the family dynamic functioning.

“Lady Bird” is a fresh and sincere feature, a wonderful and compassionate coming-of-age story that is funny, observant and endearing.

It’s a film that should be in the mix when award season comes around.

I am a member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. My reviews appear at ReelBob (reelbob.com) and Rottentomatoes (www.rottentomatoes.com). I also review Blu-rays and DVDs. I can be reached by email at bobbloomjc@gmail.com or on Twitter @ReelBobBloom. Links to my reviews can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn.

LADY BIRD
4 stars out of 4
(R), language, nudity, sexual content, teen partying