Lady Bird (2017) ****1/2

So far there have been 3 new films that I've seen twice this year (two of them twice in the theater) and they are, I suppose not coincidentally, my current Top 3 films of the year. 

Lady Bird (2017) was even better on "Take 2" (initial viewing here). It's rare that I am so instantly infatuated with a film. On this viewing even more so than my first, I was struck by how very much the gallows humor and tone of LB reminds me of the work of Hal Ashby, Wes Anderson, and Noah Baumbach, but with characters from the lower class replacing the affluent. I think that's what makes Lady Bird particularly relatable to a wider audience. 

I find it impossible not to fall in love with the titular character (and by extension Saoirse Ronan). She's flawed, she lies, she makes mistakes, but she's human, she's sweet, and she means well. The editing and tonal balance of this film is perfect too - every time I find myself tearing up at an emotional moment, it quickly cuts to a funny or lighter scene. Greta Gerwig has struck gold with her directorial debut - here's hoping she makes many more exceptional films.