6. And Introducing Lois Smith

The other day I was looking at my Letterboxd stats and apparently, and this is sickeningly on-brand, Lois Smith is my “highest rated” actor. As in, the average scores I have given movies she has appeared in is bigger than anyone else, and only tied with a few actors who showed up in all the Lord of the Rings movies (which definitely helped their average).

For the curious, her five films I have all rated highly are The Nice Guys, The French Dispatch, Twister, Minority Report, and of course Lady Bird.

I didn’t even know she was in the first three of those, until I looked up who she played, and then there was that ping of “oh right! she was great!” I probably would have had to look up her Minority Report role too if I didn’t just do a podcast about that movie (Total Massacre, subscribe wherever you get podcasts).

I definitely was not aware of her at all until seeing Lady Bird for the first time in 2017. And yet, it’s impossible to walk away from this movie and not have a clear and loving impression of her. As Sister Sarah Joan, she is the secret glue of this movie. She gets one of the most significant lines (much later, we’ll get to it) but also in general her warm presence and place as the one figure of authority Lady Bird respects is crucial.

I love her formal introduction here. It goes entirely unsaid how it came about, but I think her reaction to Lady Bird’s bizarre and intentionally provoking campaign posters is key here to why they have the connection they do. Smith plays it as only disapproving in so far as knowing how others would react to it, but also seeing the potential creativity in her student. She acknowledges the “performative streak” as she puts it (my heart get so warm at Smith’s little smile when Lady Bird agrees with “yeah, I think that too”) and encourages it.

Beyond just being necessary exposition and set up for the school play subplot (LOVE that subplot), her recommendation comes from a genuine spirit of wanting to help Lady Bird find a way to channel what she is actually interested in and good at. It’s such a contrast to Marion’s “my way or the highway” approach (one that a couple minutes ago Lady Bird took literally). No wonder Sister Joan is the maternal figure Lady Bird is more responsive to.

Lady Bird, of course, did not actually know there was a fall musical. “Perhaps you haven’t been an active part of this community”, Sister Joan responds. Love and attention, paying that attention to the people and community around you, it continues to tie things together.

Other beats I like: Sister Joan assuring Lady Bird her scholarship is still ok, there’s a lovely flash of vulnerability when Lady Bird asks about it. Sister Joan calling the school plays “a real blast”. There’s also the great moment that was in the trailer of Lady Bird suggesting joining the Math Olympiad.

“But math isn’t something you’re terribly strong in.”

“That we know of yet.”

Bless her confidence!