Review of Frances Ha (2013) by Nora B — 28 Dec 2013

There are not too many "ha ha ha's" in the indie film "Frances Ha" but to be frankly Frances with you, it did not need them. Noah Baumbach, who is an iconic independent filmmaker, has made another solid dialogue- oriented character flick in "Frances Ha". In this one, it is all centered in the quirky universe of its title character. Frances is an apprentice in a modern dance company. She does not really have a settled habitat, as she roams from apartment to apartment in New York City. She is very idiosyncratic in her mannerisms, vocabulary, and impulses. She is obsessed with her best friend Sophie; I guess it is Sophie's choice if the feeling is mutual. The Frances character is in every scene of the movie, and fills the screen with character. This could not have happened if it wasn't because of the unfathomable starring performance from Greta Gerwig as Frances. The scene where Frances is jovially running through the New York side-streets to David Bowie's classic "Modern Love" is undoubtedly one of the best cinematic scenes of 2013. Baumbach shot the film in "black and white" in the style of the legendary late director Francois Truffaut; in fact, most of the picture was a homage to classic avant-garde Truffaut cinema. Baumbach and Gerwig also scribed a withy screenplay, which did not stand out but was in synch for the Frances character. None of the supporting performances were worth noting, probably due to the fact that this was Frances' show. There is no profound "Ha you like me now?" scene to "Frances Ha" but its still a worthy little picture that you should run to; as Frances would in "Modern Love".

**** Good.