Lady Bird centers on a coming-of-age journey with realistic characters whose personalities and flaws drive the story. While the film features diverse perspectives, it doesn't push identity politics to the detriment of story or character depth. The narrative feels personal and well-crafted, avoiding the shallow tropes common in 'woke'-leaning works.

The film lightly challenges certain traditional values, especially around family and religion, but doesn't vilify them outright. Lady Bird's relationship with her Catholic school and her mother is nuanced rather than a simple condemnation of tradition. Some light subversion of expectations, but nothing egregious by modern standards.

While progressive undertones exist, such as positive portrayals of LGBT characters and an openness to non-traditional paths, the film allows for multiple viewpoints and doesn't overtly mock or cartoonify traditional perspectives. There's a sense of pluralism, if tilted toward a modern outlook.