Where many movies about teenagers and high school fail, Ladybird is able to succeed...
This 2017, Oscar nominated movie, made by female director Greta Gerwig, is a coming-of-age tale that follows Christine McPherson, "Ladybird," in her final year of high school.
Ladybird manages to be a realistic and nostalgic take on the experiences of a teenage girl, all while being hilarious to the audience. This is something most high school movies fail at and it can make any actual high school student feel patronized. Ladybird is never patronizing and even celebrates what it's like to be a teenage girl.
Saoirse Ronan, Christine, and Laurie Metcalf, Marion, are an amazing duo as Mother and daughter and the chemistry between them is visible. They manage to capture the highs and lows of a mother-daughter relationship at that point in life. The point between childhood and adulthood, where a teenage girl needs her mother, but needs a taste of independence just as much.
Relatable and tender, Ladybird is perfect for any small-town teenager who has ever dreamt of something more from life. Christine's drive to get into the college of her choice is both relatable and inspiring. Christine's two romantic relationships throughout the movie, while being funny, can feel all two familiar to any teenage girl.
The sudden ending of the movie may leave some viewers unsatisfied, I would argue that it is the perfect ending. Although that chapter of Christine's life is over and the movie is done, it doesn't mean Christine's story is done altogether.