Ladybird - Gerwig's Spellbinding Debut

I thought before reviewing 'Little Women' I would revisit Gerwig's directorial debut 'Ladybird' which may well be one of my favorite films of the decade. The fascinating thing about this film is that it shouldn't work as well as it does on paper, it isn't exactly one of those groundbreaking premises or unique perspectives. If you were to describe the plot or premise it sounds exactly like so many films that have come before but 'Ladybird' has its own distinctive level of care. It is a directorial debut following a pretty conventional coming of age story but it is a masterclass in the importance of 'how' over what and one of the most effortlessly breathtaking films ever made. The amount of care, attention, and effort that has gone into this film is beyond impressive and Gerwig creates a really beautiful and heartfelt exploration of that sticky in-between age and all its difficulties.At the absolute forefront of the film is Ladybird herself played wonderfully by Saorise Ronan and she is an incredibly realized character in every single way. There is something so charmingly messy about this character that Gerwig understands and uses to her advantage, she has this wonderful level of unpredictability in her character. From the opening moments, we understand exactly who Ladybird is and why she is this way and Gerwig never fails her protagonist throughout the duration of the film. The film is led by this character, we never really break away from this character's perspective and through this Gerwig creates a really fascinating character arc that doesn't distract from the tone or integrity of the film. At no point does the plot contrive to create a character and at no point does Ladybird's character contrive in order to fit a certain narrative structure. We keep our perspective on our protagonist for the complete runtime of the film and from this, her arc seems natural and believable and so does the plot. It is character writing at its best without feeling forced or manipulative, this isn't a film that toots its pretentious horn about being a character study instead we get a character study that is authentic and realized.Gerwig has this really fascinating filmmaking style which is probably my favorite thing in the film. I'd describe it as authentically unpredictable, she creates characters and lets them breathe in an authentic realized way. It gives her films a degree of 'slice of life realism' whilst still managing to have a compelling tone and feel to them. It is a really funny film but manages to create its comedy without relying on so many modern conventions for comedy, there isn't a comedic moment in this film that didn't feel unnecessary or contrived. Some of the supporting characters in the film managed to crack me up every time they were on screen, Timothee Chalament plays this wonderfully specific caricature of the pretentious college student who is so wonderfully over the top that every line he says is effortlessly hilarious. Gerwig balances her tone really well, she knows how to let emotional moments sit and develop whilst also interjecting with comedy at an appropriate level to every scene. It means a lot of the more emotional scenes land a lot better because the comedy comes from the characters and thus the characters feel authentic in the emotional scenes. This balance is essential to the film's success and why I love it so much.Saorise Ronan as Ladybird might be my favorite performance of the decade. Ronan has a lot on her plate throughout the duration of the film and she takes it with such dedication and commitment. I just really appreciate the amount of work gone into making Ladybird a fully formed character and Ronan has a lot to thank for that. Equally as vital is the spellbinding performance of Laurie Metcalf as Ladybird's mother, the relationship between these characters is the heart and soul of the film. Metcalf plays this perfectly observed interpretation for a mother, her character is hilarious if at times uncomfortable to watch in her commitment to be uncompromisingly honest. Gerwig explores this relationship wonderfully, their interactions create the film's most beautiful moments of dialogue and create the moments which stick with you the most. Aside from these wonderful two core performances, every side character has their moments of comedy and their moments of authentic brutal emotion. Tracy Letts, Beanie Feldstein, and Lucas Hedges fill out the cast brilliantly, we witness and respond to them through their interactions with Ladybird and Gerwig creates them with such humanity.Every element of this film is handled with such care and honesty that any problems I have feel nitpicky and did not distract from my experience at all. The score blends its setting with its tone wonderfully, feeling distinct and personal to the film to a really beautiful extent. It is shot with the care that isn't overblown or trying too hard, shots have an impressive quality to them with the focus being on their importance to the plot or characters without trying to be something you can put in an art gallery. I still retain so many important visual moments and they feel completely authentic to the film, it never feels like any element is showing off in any way. I just adore this film so much, Gerwig has created this completely beautiful portrayal of so much whether it be growing up, moving out, discovering your sexuality, relationships with family or even appreciating your best friend it all comes with a personal degree of authenticity.Thanks for reading