Episode 22 – Lady Bird

In honor of the 2018 Oscar nominations, we hit the theater to watch the multiply nominated coming-of-age tale Lady Bird (2017). We recount how the film reflects our own high school experience, how Greta Gerwig manages to stuff so much into such a small run time, and why Laurie Metcalf is the best ever. We do stop short of singing Dave Matthews Band lyrics, but just barely.

Clarifications:

I don’t think it’s clear from the beginning that I had already seen this movie but Jessica hadn’t, in case you’re wondering if we strayed from the conceit of the show. Technically this episode still fits, right? We got to discuss a great movie, so I say “yes”!

We suggest that the movie does not explicitly tell us that it takes place in 2002. However, Ladybird says that “the only interesting thing about 2002 is that it’s a palindrome.” We regret the error.

The Joan Didion quote that begins the movie is as follows: “Anybody who talks about California hedonism has never spent a Christmas in Sacramento.

I don’t actually hate “Crash Into Me” by the Dave Matthews Band. I really don’t! Kara and I listened to the album after we came back from the theater. I call it “lame” within the context of the movie and we get sidetracked from talking about the triumphant moment where Lady Bird professes her love for the song. LISTEN.

I realize I just wrote a paragraph preemptively defending myself against folks who might get the wrong impression that I don’t like Dave Matthews Band… life is strange, isn’t it?

Also, here’s the AV Club article I mention in reference to the same song. And they talk about what the song is really about… so you can feel weird the next time you sing along.

I wished we would have talked just a little more about Greta Gerwig, but c’est la vie. I’m sure at least one future episode will give us the chance.

Lady Bird‘s Rotten Tomatoes record was just beaten by Paddington 2. Which means I have to see Paddington 2 now? But that means I have to see Paddington first! Man, I live such a difficult life!

Movies We Reference:

Frances Ha (2012)

Rushmore (1998)

The Way Way Back (2013)