Day 179 - Frances Ha

Day 179          Frances Ha [2012]

                          

Screenplay                    Noah Baumbach & Greta Gerwig

Director                         Noah Baumbach

Cinematography            Sam Levy

Music                            George Drakoulias

Leads                            Greta Gerwig, Mickey Sumner, Adam Driver, Michael Esper, Patrick Heusinger, Michael Zegen

Production                     RT Features, Pine District, Scott Rudin Productions

IMDb                                7.4/10

Rotten Tomatoes                92%

What can Greta Gerwig not do? She co-wrote and starred in this indie, black-and-white story about a girl in her mid to late twenties who doesn’t really know what she is doing. As I am currently in that position myself I must say it is an accurate representation of what goes on in your life post-university if you fail to get a proper job and if you live in a city as expensive as New York. Gerwig is Frances. Awkward, clumsy and I guess she can be described by that horrible word that sums her up perfectly – kooky. A girlfriend I was watching it with could barely watch during some of the more awkward scenes, but I think that is a compliment towards Gerwig’s acting. It felt natural and cinematic at the same time. This may be down to the dry wit of Baumbach who certainly knows how to handle a script (see Day 1). Mickey Sumner played best friend Sophie in a recognisable way. There seems to be a rush for marriage at a certain age with certain women and its never nice to be the last one. Thus, Sophie and Frances’ friendship was strained by events that felt true to the real world. The supporting actors were good, but they were secondary to Gerwig and that is how it should be. Too often in Hollywood men can steal the limelight from the leading woman and instead we got a very female film without the stereotypes. Finally – this film was just Lady Bird all grown up right? It fits with Gerwig’s narrative as a Catholic school girl from Sacramento, Frances even goes back there for Christmas with Gerwig’s real parents acting as Frances’ mother and father. Their personalities are incredibly similar, and I will now have to watch Mistress America to see if it really is a reverse trilogy all based on Gerwig’s real life. “Sometimes I think I’m a genius and I wish I could just fast-forward my life to the part where everyone knows it.” My thoughts exactly, Frances.

Acting                            4 / 4

Writing                           3 / 4

Cinematography             3 / 4

Music                          2.5 / 4

HWF rating             3.5 / 4