Ladybird Scene Analysis: “Give Me A Number”

Another Monday, another movie scene. This time, it’s from Ladybird, and like many scenes from this movie, it’s quick, dialogue-driven, and emotionally jarring.

Scene Comes From: Ladybird

Where to Watch: Netflix

Scene Context:

Ladybird has just gotten suspended from her private school. Her family has been struggling financially.

Scene Conflicts:

• Ladybird wants to apologize.
• Marion (Ladybird’s mom) wants Ladybird to know how her actions hurt others.

Scene Outline:

1. Marion scolds Ladybird for her suspension. Tells her that they make great sacrifices for her. Explains why she’s in private school rather than public school.
2. Marion brings Larry (Ladybird’s dad) into the conversation. Tells Ladybird that they know that she’s ashamed of them. Brings up how Ladybird makes Larry drop her off a block away from school.
3. Ladybird tries to apologize. Marion tells Ladybird that she made Larry feel horrible. Larry tries to quell it, but Marion says that they need to tell Ladybird how she’s hurting others.
4. Ladybird again tries to apologize. Marion explains that they didn’t expect to be living paycheck to paycheck. Says that their sacrifices are never enough for Ladybird.
5. Ladybird contests that it is enough. Marion asks if Ladybird knows how much she has cost them, financially.
6. Ladybird, angry, asks for a number. Tells Marion that she’ll pay them back, and once she does, she can fully disconnect from them.
7. Marion scoffs, says there’s no way Ladybird will ever be able to make enough money for that.
8. Ladybird storms off.

Why It Works:

Enter At The Latest Point: The scene starts without giving the audience a second to breath. Before we even enter the setting, Marion is already scolding Ladybird. And the scolding doesn’t start small, but rather with Marion already bringing forth the central dilemma of the scene; Ladybird is unaware of how she affects her parents. With the scene’s thesis already established, the rest of the scene can then build upon this idea.

Unwilling Bystander: Larry is in something of a nightmare. This dude was just playing solitaire, and suddenly he’s being forced by his wife to confront his daughter. He doesn’t say anything in this scene aside from his objections to Marion exposing him. His silence thus adds a layer of tension to this already tense setting. This encounter isn’t occurring in a bubble, but rather with a character both characters mutually respect, and who will then witness the awful things they say to each other.

Falling on Deaf Ears: Ladybird is incessantly attempting to apologize to Marion, but it’s not enough. Each apology only incites Marion into more detail about why Ladybird is hurting her. After enough attempts at apology, it becomes clear that this scene isn’t about Ladybird at all. Rather, it’s about Marion wanting to release her frustration in one of the worst ways she can. And when Ladybird realizes this, she switches to an attack of her own.

Switch of Intents: Ladybird doesn’t sit there and take the verbal beating. Rather, she decides to play on Marion’s turf and trade blows by offering to leave Marion. She’s no longer trying to apologize. Now, she’s trying to hurt Marion. And Marion is quick to recognize this, and so, with her final dig into Ladybird (at beat 7), her apparent intent changes. A scene that began as a simple scolding has suddenly developed into a mother and daughter trying to find the most hurtful thing they can say to one another.

Summary:

This scene is brutal, and it’s structural elements reflect that. Effectively a monologue-turned-battle, it is an intense encapsulation of a boiling mother-daughter relationship, in which both parties feel like they’ll never receive the approval of the other.