This is for the 30 Day Film Challenge on my insta because I went on a massive rant and there wasn't enough space... 😂
Okay I didn't hate this film, and I also don't really have a fave genre. But I do love edgy coming of age films. However, of all the edgy coming of age films, this is my least favourite - mostly because it's not actually, in my opinion, a coming of age film.
The whole point of a coming of age film, to me, is that the character grows and learns something. Which I really don't feel that Ladybird/Christine did.
Maybe it was the point, but I'd rather watch a film about literally any of the other characters in the film (apart from the Timothee Chamoeleoej however his name is spelt, because I don't need more edgy white boys) because they all have something more interesting. Which is get the whole grasping at uniqueness, hence the changed name, but like, give me any other character please.
That's another thing that bugged me, this film tries to do everything, but it does literally none of it in detail. Reproductice rights and competitive pain. The gay guy from a religious family, the adopted brother of a different race from his family, the disowned daughter who lives with her boyfriends family, the girl who "isn't built for happiness" and is in love with someone off limits or the teen who's already accepted a mediocre life. All of these characters have amazing stories that I'd love to delve into, and yet they are all skimmed and the film is deemed progressive for touching them all? Deemed progressive for a white girl having a mixed raced adopted brother and his race is "never mentioned" apart from when she is literally racist towards him and its ignored without so much as an apology? Nah fam.
The one thing that could be deemed as her growing up is her moving away from calling herself Lady Bird, but honestly, that doesn't appear to come from growth. Moments before she introduces herself as Christine for the first time she remarks at how its ridiculous that people will accept the name their parent gave them but won't believe in God. Which like, I'm all for teenage angst - give me angsty teens or give me death - but it proves she only gave up her name through fear of judgement rather than actually outgrowing it. Which is a really depressing way to end.
Speaking of endings, that ending was so fake deep. Which would be fine if it was a fake deep monologue or something that cane from the character, because again, give me teenage angst or give me death, but the reason I hate the end came from the direction. WHY THE HECK DOES IT CUT OUT ON A SIGH? That's the kinda of ending that I really want to love, but I just didn't. It was meh.
If they had gone with the original Mothers and Daughters title I almost feel like it's be a better film, because the emphasis would have been on the mother daughter relationship - which was interesting!! By calling it Lady Bird the emphasis went straight on that mediocre character.
It had a few good moments, but it got lost in the tornado of everything else that was going on.
I think mostly I didn't like it because I was so excited to see it. It had so much hype and God knows we love a female director. But even regardless of all the reasons I have for not liking it, my overall reaction wasn't that list of reasons, it was ultimately a feeling of being underwhelmed.
Rating: 4/10
Watch it or don't. It didn't exactly change my life
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