The Lady Bird Diaries

Released Nov 3, 2023

1 hr. 40 min.

Documentary

Biography

List

100%

15 Reviews

Tomatometer

88%

Fewer than 50 Ratings

Audience Score

"The Lady Bird Diaries" is a groundbreaking documentary that looks at one of the most influential and least-understood first ladies, featuring audio from the 123 hours of personal and revealing diaries Lady Bird Johnson began recording after JFK's assassination and continued throughout her husband's administration.

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Mary S

Nothing about Israel? Really? Nothing????

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

11/03/23

Full Review

Marissa E

Engaging, informative, insightful! A unique documentary from audio diaries of a genuine, talented individual. I came to this country so grown-up I never knew a thing about her. It was nice to get to know Ladybird. She was surely a loving, caring, supportive, wise, objective other half of President LBJ. The documentary is reflective of very significant moments/realities in American history: the birth of Medicare, Selma March, the assasinations of Pres JFK, Martin Luther King, Sen RFK Sr, Vietnam war. Depression is universal and doesn't discriminate! It can be fatal as it adversely affects the human body. True, at times, courage is waking up and going through the day, indeed!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/02/24

Full Review

Whirled P

Regardless of how anyone thinks or feels about issues, the truth is that the president is a human being. As such, they are flawed and can only act on the information and understanding that they have at the time. Yet, someone needs to take on the burden of responsibility, and make decisions. Johnson was in office during multiple assassinations, an awful war, and desperately needed social change. I am glad that Lady Bird made recordings so we could have a tiny glimpse into their daily life during this tumultuous time in our nation's history.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/19/23

Full Review

gary s

I always enjoy a good documentary. Highly recommended.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/15/23

Full Review

MaryBeth L

I found Lady Bird's calm and lilting narration to be a stark contrast to all the thousands of young men who were slaughtered needlessly in Vietnam, for no reason, in my opinion. She never expressed her compassion for those who were less fortunate than her. She lived in a bubble and saw no problems in her husband's administration. Truly a glimpse into her skewed version of the world.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/15/23

Full Review

Riley R

Saw this tonight with my boyfriend. He's not a fan of these types of movies but we both loved it.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/05/23

Full Review

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Lisa Kennedy

New York Times

Many of the archival images Porter so fluidly employs will be familiar, but they gain fresh energy and timely urgency from Johnson’s absorbing narration and her often stirring observations...

Nov 14, 2023

Full Review

Christian Blauvelt

indieWire

The result is an extremely multi-dimensional portrait of a First Lady, one who, you can’t help but think, was the most significant at that point since Eleanor Roosevelt in her accomplishments and her influence on policy.

Rated: A-

Nov 13, 2023

Full Review

John Anderson

Wall Street Journal

It is difficult not to like Lady Bird, despite the coldly clinical conversation she has with her borrowed reel-to-reel, if only because her affection for her husband is so palpable and constant.

Nov 10, 2023

Full Review

Savina Petkova

A Good Movie To Watch

The documentary becomes a piece of history and an archive in itself, its illustrative functions – a crucial storytelling tool for posteriority.

Rated: 75/100

Nov 24, 2023

Full Review

Loren King

Newport This Week (RI)

Porter’s film lets Lady Bird’s recorded voice be the personal testimony to cataclysmic events. She uncovered plenty of new archival footage that she pairs with the audio.

Nov 16, 2023

Full Review

Dan Mecca

The Film Stage

A sympathetic yet clear-eyed portrait of a compassionate woman in an extraordinary position.

Rated: B+

Nov 13, 2023

Full Review

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Synopsis

"The Lady Bird Diaries" is a groundbreaking documentary that looks at one of the most influential and least-understood first ladies, featuring audio from the 123 hours of personal and revealing diaries Lady Bird Johnson began recording after JFK's assassination and continued throughout her husband's administration.

Director: Dawn Porter
Executive Producer: Jacqueline Glover, Adam Pincus, Julia Sweig, Victoria Thompson, Eli Holzman, Aaron Saidman
Distributor: Hulu
Production Co: ABC News, Trilogy Films
Genre: Documentary, Biography
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 3, 2023, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 13, 2023

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