Directed by Greta Gerwig, “Lady Bird” is one of the most touching and relatable coming-of-age stories that I have seen yet. This independent film encapsulates all the stresses a senior in high school faces — from financial and relationship struggles to figure out the next move after high school.

Christine, played by Saoirse Ronan, is the main character of the film, and has given herself the name “Lady Bird.” Her self-proclaimed name stands firmly behind its meaning: she’s a girl who simply wants to spread her wings and travel far away from her hometown of Sacramento.

Lady Bird tells her mother, Marion, played by Laurie Metcalf, that she wants to travel to the East Coast “where the culture is” for college. However, Marion constantly tries to persuade her daughter to go to an in-state community college as the family has financial struggles. The relationship between Lady Bird and her mother is filled with great tension, but tough love lies underneath it all.

Lady Bird has a best friend named Julie Steffans, played by Beanie Feldstein, and they are each others’ yin and yang. They spend their nights eating junk food together, sharing laughs, and talking about boys — the usual teenage stuff. However, their friendship takes a troubling turn when Lady Bird tries to impress Kyle, the “bad boy” at their private Catholic high school.

Kyle is played by Timothee Chalamet, who aesthetically fits his character amazingly well. Kyle plays in a band and is always reading a book with his ever-present cigarette. When Lady Bird and Kyle had their first scene together, it was immediately apparent that he would be her love interest. She is, in fact, a girl who wants to go far away from home, so she isn’t one to be intimidated easily.

In order to fit in with Kyle’s crowd, Lady Bird pretends to be someone she’s not and pushes away her best friend Julie, who becomes heartbroken. As Lady Bird moves closer to Kyle, Julie is pushed further away and stops showing up at school. Soon enough, Lady Bird realizes that Kyle is labeled as the “bad boy” for a reason, he’s no good. He has his own problems: his dad is diagnosed with cancer and he smokes cigarettes — a confusing puzzle, really. He isn’t a likable character, but he is the reason why Lady Bird matures as a young adult.

Lady Bird realizes her worth and who her true friends are, which is heartwarming to see. The struggles of friendship and relationships, fitting in, finding yourself, and family problems are all in this indie coming-of-age film.

“Lady Bird” contains an excellent cast that allows the audience to relate themselves to a character. The beautiful composure of the film makes it feel like it is truly a mainstream movie. The driving force of this film is the complicated mother-daughter relationship and the motivation running through Lady Bird’s veins to get out of Sacramento.