Review of Frances Ha (2013) by Blake P — 04 Aug 2014

There is something honest about black-and-white. In the golden age of cinema, only the melodramas used it, while the comedies and the musicals preferred Technicolor. Without rosy reds, warm oranges, there is a sort of thin-skinned, bone-dry look that we don't see in everyday life. We don't have to push through bright images to get to the core of the story - with black-and-white, we can nearly see everything the way it's intended to be.

Certainly, Baumbach is a genius for filming "Frances Ha" this way - it clearly pays homage to Woody Allen's refreshingly honest "Manhattan" - and the film is all the better for it. The titular Frances is portrayed by Greta Gerwig, the new Parker Posey; the new Queen of the Indies. Frances is 27, a "dancer", and unmarried. She lives with her best friend from college, Sophie (Mickey Sumner), and their relationship is so Lucy and Ethel that you get the feeling that separating them would be like cutting siamese twins in half.

The rug is pulled out from under Frances' feet (and ours) when Sophie casually announces that she is seriously considering moving to the Tribeca area, with a different friend. When she actually does, Frances' feeling of emptiness was shared by me. How could her sister from another mister betray her like that?

Without Sophie, Frances' life is even more aimless than before. She longs to be a top dancer, but her enthusiasm doesn't match her talent by a long shot. Soon, she is let go from her current job, but can't admit to herself that her hopes and dreams have failed, and her BFF doesn't need her much anymore these days. All in all, Frances is having a hard time.

Gerwig is brilliant, a complete knockout in a role of such small means. If there were an Olympics simply for awkwardness, Frances would be a gold medalist. But Gerwig does something similar to what Lisa Kudrow did all those years with Phoebe on "Friends" - sure, she can be maddening, and sure, she can make terrible decisions, but she possesses quirks and neuroses' that are endearing rather than seriously irritating. It's a wonder that Gerwig, who co-wrote "Frances Ha" with Baumbach, is able to flesh out a character so easily through both her screenwriting and her acting.

But what makes the film such a success is how well it portrays the life of a person in their '20s. Gone are the free college days, the days where being unsure of your future was hit with an OK stamp. Gone are the days where your friends were your family. You are thrust into reality without a cushion, and it can be hard to accept the bloodied cement in front of you. But thanks to the sharp and insightful script, things never get too completely dark - it's a film that is seamlessly witty while still in-touch with its slice-of-life origins. Baumbach's direction is carefree enough to make the film feel smooth and unpredictable, though harshly deglamorized.

"Frances Ha" is truly something else. Who knew the failing life goals of an adorable 27-year old could be so timely, so eye-opening?