What I immediately noticed about Lady Bird is, despite the tumultuous behavior of the 17-going-on-18 year old main character, the nature of the movie is so mature. Though it takes place in 2002, there's a worn filter placed on the film that often makes it seem older than it is.

That 17-going-on-18 year old, Christine 'Lady Bird' McPherson played by Saoirse Ronan, expertly grows into that maturity as she navigates her final year of high school. But her endeavors along the way make the film worthwhile; that, at one point or another, there is something she's dealing with that each viewer can relate with.

Balancing on a razor thin line between comedy and empathy, Lady Bird tackles the challenges of being and raising a rebel, and when the common ground is found towards the end, it is absolutely satisfying. 

One can take away any number of themes regarding faith, family, and coming of age, but what's recurring throughout the movie is the idea that if you have a deep connection to something, no matter what, you can always come back to it.  I know I'll return to see Lady Bird again, and in this case, that's really saying something special.

Acting and Casting - 2 | Visual Effects and Editing - 2 | Story and Message - 2 | Entertainment Value - 2 | Music Score and Soundtrack - 2 | Reviewer's Preference - 2