Quarantine has given people more leisure time than they could ever ask for. To spend that time, many enjoy their own hobbies: reading, watching television or movies, listening to music or podcasts, playing video games, or any other type of activity that brings joy. With all this free time, many are bored with their monotonous activities, ultimately left wondering what they should do to pass the time. Greta Gerwig’s film Lady Bird, a movie with fantastic writing, excellent story structure, phenomenal themes, and amazing hair, should be a must-watch on everyone’s movie list.

The coming-of-age film Lady Bird recounts the senior year of the main protagonist, Lady Bird, played by the superb actress Saoirse Ronan, and her journey into adulthood. Lady Bird is a young woman who dreams of leaving her home town of Sacramento in an attempt to live a cultured and vibrant filled life on the East Coast. Lady Bird’s relationship with her family is a tumultuous one; specifically, the film delves into and dissects the bond between Lady Bird and her mother. As Lady Bird attempts to complete her senior year journey with her best friend Julie Steffans (Beanie Feldstein), she finds romantic relationships with Danny O’Neill (Lucas Hedges) and Kyle Scheible (Timothée Chalamet), struggles with opportunities due to financial hardships, and explores her true identity.

The writing of Lady Bird is quite excellent. The easy-going and connective spirit between Lady Bird and Jules is entertaining and a friendship that all viewers would desire to have. Although the film contains many happy moments, the intense and emotional scenes spread throughout the movie are expertly portrayed through thoughtful writing. The untraditional film outline, contrasting the common “hero’s journey” literature template, in Lady Bird simply shows the life of the protagonist, without a clear conflict, climax, or resolution. This gives viewers a sense of actually being present and a part of the film, growing and exploring alongside Lady Bird. I believe this is what makes the movie so unique; by joining Lady Bird on her adventures, viewers connect with the protagonist in a way that most other movies fall short of. This aspect of the film, in turn, creates a more relatable protagonist, even if you are not a high school senior with amazing, dyed hair.

The movie delves into themes of, mostly, identity. The identity of Lady Bird is defined by her high school senior year and skillfully documented throughout this film. This movie is relatable in many ways; the way expectation differs from reality is heavily emphasized in this film, a relatable leitmotif found in our own lives. It also highlights the importance of family, love, and most significantly, attention. One message viewers encounter within this film is that attention is the greatest sign of love; giving attention shows a person empathizes and cares for others. Once this meaning is understood, it can be completely and wholly applied to every viewer’s life, making it the perfect movie.

The film has laughs and smiles, tears and melancholy, but ultimately leaves the viewer optimistic towards life and its unexpectedness. Overall, Lady Bird is an excellent film and should be watched by all. It is available to be seen on Netflix. Have fun watching this heartfelt story, Lady Bird.