Set in Sacramento, California, it is a coming-of-age story of a high-school senior (Ronan) and her turbulent relationship with her mother (Metcalf). In this, Christine "Lady Bird" McPherson (Saoirse Ronan) fights against but is exactly like her wildly loving, deeply opinionated and strong-willed mom (Laurie Metcalf), a nurse working tirelessly to keep her family afloat after Lady Bird's father (Tracy Letts) loses his job.