Teen angst. It’s been done a million times. No, really, probably more than a million. From every Disney and Nickelodeon television show ever created, to all 50 years of Hollywood’s productions I’ve been around for. Some are more memorable than others. Perhaps If I was still in the age group, this one would resonate more. Lady Bird takes a look at all the things we’ve seen so many times, and make’s it real around a well-done tense relationship between strong willed mother and daughter. The situational cliches stacked up until I was sure that every one made its way into the film short of something really serious, like death. From wrong side of the tracks, to a closeted gay friend,  to bad teenage sex, to the drama of a college application process, to a dateless prom. There’s more. The list of what is missing (like a handsome but shallow jock) is probably shorter. This is a film I never would have watched had It not been among the best picture nominee list. What put it there? Really good acting from Saoirse Ronan and Laurie Metcalf. Some half-decent viewpoint twists on the cliche’s.  I almost cared about the main characters journey, but not quite. One critic gushes “The best movies about adolescence to come along in years.” This might be so, but with such a tired subject matter, it never did enough for me.