Frances Ha
Frances is an aspiring 27 year old dancer living in new York City, She shares an apartment with best friend since college Sophie (friends describe them as 'a lesbian couple who don't have sex anymore') Suddenly things go wrong for Frances, she splits from her boyfriend because she doesn't want to move in with him. To make matters worse Sophie is moving in with her boyfriend Patch. Frances job as an apprentice dancer is not progressing as she would have hoped, struggling for money and finding the transition from leaving college to becoming a fully fledged adult difficult Frances finds herself at a crossroads.
Frances Ha is a true return to form for Noah Baumbach. Since his brilliant biting comedy 'The Squid and the Whale' he has made a disappointing 'Margot at the Wedding' and 'Greenberg' which although was a decent picture it was hardly delivering on the promise of the squid and the whale.
Frances is played by Baumbach's girlfriend Greta Gerwig and she is magnificent. It's a naturalistic performance from Gerwig, some have said they found Frances irritating but she is played with such charm and sincerity she is impossible to resist and there's a wonderful chemistry between her and Sophie played by Mickey Sumner daughter of Sting.
The film is shot in gorgeous black and white and being set in New York and the fact Baumbach is dating it's star it certaintly reminds you of Woody Allen era Manhatten. Also Baumbach is clearly a director inspired by French New Wave of the late fifties, early sixties.
You will struggle to find a better film this year and you will leave the cinema with a smile on your face. Baumbach's previous films haven't had the heart or tender touch that this film has. The five minute montage of when Frances visits her parents in Sacramento with clips of her sharing ice cream sundaes and hanging Christmas lights is particulary charming and scenes with Frances dancing through the streets to David Bowie's Modern Love are a joy to watch.
A brilliant genuine heartfelt film which reminds you why we fell in love with Baumbach to begin with.
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