Review of Lady Bird (2017) by Norm D — 27 Mar 2018

~ This movie starts so visually dark & carping, by creative choice apparently, that one thinks, "Oh no. An hour-&-a-half of this?" But then, slowly & steadily a bit of what surely seems to be Gerwig genius begins to illumine scenes where the visual darkness tends to persist, even with Panavision & Arri equipment.

And then the images become good and insightful and at times deliciously ironic. Yes, this is a severe chick-flick, indie style, in a Marvel world. But there's talent at work here, esp'ly Saoirse, and a bit of a message about hometowns and a girl being really lucky if she had a dad who loved her enough to keep her moving onward & upward, buffering the estrogen in an increasingly beta-male world.

There's also that thing about the cute/exciting boy (or man) and the good boy, what we saw from Carey Mulligan in "An Education." In fact, Ronan & Mulligan give similarly modulated performances.

~ By the end, it was Bravo for a feature writing and directorial debut. And the DVD featurettes seem to show Gerwig as a really neat girl - woman - who would be fun to know and maybe love. ~ PS: It would've been interesting to have had Gerwig direct "I'm Not Ashamed" about the first student, a girl, murdered at Columbine.

Like "Lady Bird," there is a girl's hometown life story, only her story is poignantly, savagely, movingly, and just as interestingly true. ~ PPS: This picture won the GGlobe Best Picture, Musical or Comedy.

Musical? No. Comedy? Well, this is more of a coming-of-age tale, female style, than a comedy, tho' there are some amusing, charming moments. But it's not LOL "Fast Times at Ridgemont High.

" | ~ Norm de Guerre.