TIME TO FLY. 

In 2002, a student (Saoirse Ronan) at a Catholic high school in Sacramento struggles with her mother (Laurie Metcalf), college prospects, new friends and a boy she likes. For her solo directing debut (after co-directing Nights and Weekends (2008)), Greta Gerwig was inspired by her own life. Ronan is outstanding as the California girl who is fiercely trying to carve out independence for herself even though she still lives at home. The film takes us through her life over a year, a time of constant lessons being learned, about herself and what should motivate her. Pleasant and relevant, even moving (especially if you’re a parent); Metcalf is simply perfect as the mom.

2017-U.S. 94 min. Color. Produced by Eli Bush, Evelyn O’Neill, Scott Rudin. Written and directed by Greta Gerwig. Cast: Saoirse Ronan (Christine ”Lady Bird” McPherson), Laurie Metcalf (Marion McPherson), Tracy Letts (Larry McPherson), Lucas Hedges, Timothée Chalamet, Beanie Feldstein.

Golden Globes: Best Motion Picture (Comedy/Musical), Actress (Ronan).

Last word: “I’ve seen Laurie and Tracy onstage and also seen Tracy’s plays he’s written which are… he’s like my favorite playwright, and both of them… I think I cast Tracy first and then when Laurie’s name came up, she’s a genius. And another thing that I really loved about it is they’ve actually known each other for 30 years because they both are Midwesterners, which I also really liked, and they work at the Steppenwolf Theater Company, and so they have this kind of friendship for so long which, it gives it a kind of intimacy that I think you can really tell that they know each other, and also they’re just so great.” (Gerwig, Gold Derby)

IMDb