So, many of us can agree that most movies follow a rather standard plot structure. An average, unsuspecting civilian living the everyday life discovers an enchanting new utopia that is threatened by a dark force, ultimately rising to the unlikely challenge of vanquishing it. Or else, regarding movies that run on a more realistic storyline, an everyday civilian dares to dream big in an unforgiving world, pushing through the barriers and succeeding in accomplishing all of their aspirations. But do these movies, as satisfying as they are, truly reflect the timelines of our lives? How many times, in the real world, does one find themselves standing on top of the world with no fear ahead of them whatsoever? Right. Not often.

Lady Bird, however, did not conform to these traditions. The film follows the story of Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson, a fiery yet passionate young woman whose only desire is to finish her senior year of high school and leave her dull home in Sacramento, California for the colossal skyscrapers of New York. However, she finds herself constantly feeling stifled by her strict Catholic education, and her overbearing mother, who is determined to send Lady Bird to a local college due to the family’s financial state.

As you can see, the plot of Lady Bird had all the potential to be a major cliché. Lady Bird could very well have done everything right – becoming valedictorian, starring in all of the drama productions, and therefore earning a scholarship to her dream school, obtaining the full support of her mother now that money was taken care of. However, this was not the case. Instead, the movie was rather bumpy in its plot structure. One moment, Lady Bird was soaring triumphantly in the clouds and the next, she was rock bottom low. Although some may find this rather boring, I found it refreshing in the way that, finally a movie had been offered that quite accurately paralleled life itself. It is not common to meet a true villain in the real world, nor do you ever meet someone who is perfect. Rather, you meet someone who is passionate, diligent, yet full of flaws. You meet someone whose life does not end in the moment they discover “happily ever after,” because, in truth, life goes on.

Released on November 3rd, 2017, Lady Bird was quick to sweep away its audiences. With an astounding 99% on Rotten Tomatoes and an 8/10 on IMDb, the film has grossed over 34.1 million dollars. Furthermore, it was very successful at the recent Golden Globes. Nominated for four awards, it was awarded for Best Musical or Comedy Motion Picture, and Saoirse Ronan, Lady Bird’s actress, was awarded Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy Motion Picture.

Overall, Lady Bird is a film that I’d recommend to teenagers and adults alike. Witty, poignant, and ultimately, important, it will remind you that, although life does not always flow the way you’d like, it goes on, and the best thing you can do is to go along with it.