Cameron Kanachki’s review published on Letterboxd:
“I want you to be the very best version of yourself you can be.”
“What if this is the best version?”
It’s been more than 4 months since I’ve seen this film. In those 4 months, friendships have come & gone from my life, some big events have occurred (some positive, some negative), my anxiety & depression have ebbed & flowed a bit, & I’ve been trying to work a lot of stuff out. Although it’s been rough, the first quarter of 2018 has turned out alright for me. I’ve started a new podcast with some awesome people, I’ve made some great friends, I’ve seen more great films, I’ve become a better driver, & I’ve had some of my best grades in a while.
After this rewatch of Lady Bird, I am becoming more & more aware of how much I have in common with Lady Bird, as I am getting older & more towards the end of high school. The desire to travel for college, the friendships that come & go, & the relationship with my mom. Now that I’m experiencing them (& experiencing other things more often), I’m even more emotionally attached to this film.
Everything about this film is perfect. The acting, directing, writing, cinematography, editing & score are all great. Saoirse Ronan, along with being my favorite actress at the moment, gave the closest portrayal to my life that any actor or actress has ever portrayed. Laurie Metcalf is like my mom: strong-willed & a bit curt at times, but still loving. Greta Gerwig, along with being a great actress, has directed & written the most realistic portrayal of high school (for my experience, save for the Catholic school) that I’ve ever seen. There is not one single false note in this film.
I could go on & on about how much I love this movie, how much it makes me feel, & how amazing it is. But I think I’m just going to leave it at this: no ever film has ever made me feel the way this film did. And I don’t think there will ever be another film that will make me feel this way again.
This film has helped me through a lot these past few months. It has told me that everything will be alright, even if it takes a while. My life might not be perfect, but I’m working harder to better myself. And thanks to this film, I know my life will be just fine when high school ends.
