tlfisher-1

You have an opportunity to make a movie, and this is what you come up with? Yet another movie where an immature young woman who creates her own "problems" is supposed to interest us. I ended up watching (well, I fast-forwarded through some) to the end because I went from, Hey this might be kind of a cute movie, to hating a cliché, watch-what-words-you-choose-men, selfish child that is the modern pastiche of a woman, and finally to morbid fascination at a project gone wrong. The actor and character of the drummer-waitress was the only redeeming quality.

Lady Bird has to be one of the most overrated films in recent history. Of course, movies with limited "art house" releases usually gain at least a star or two (either because of critics' pomposity or because they mistake "boring" for some deeper meaning). This one is about an immature teenager who engages in obnoxious, erratic conduct-I guess because of teen angst or hormones or some other "coming of age" cliché. Yes, teenagers really are frequently obnoxious and erratic; that doesn't make it profound or cute. Some funny lines and decent character actors partially make up for a dreary-to-meaningless story.

The plot and characters hold your attention with suspense and an ending that you hope you're wrong about. Probably too melodramatic for some tastes, but for others it's nice to see something from that era without the over-the-top silliness that (all due respect) they considered "comic relief."