Frances Ha

   One of my favorite films of 2013, was Frances Ha. While it was released in 2012 for film festivals it wasn’t until mid 2013 before it found its way to the public and Netflix, which is where I discovered it in early december. There were so many things that I thought were absolutely brilliant about this picture. Everything from the opening credits to the ending credits were perfect, truly capturing the essence of what it’s like to be a young adult in this world. 

   This film takes place in my favorite place in the world, New York City. It’s about a twenty-seven year old girl named Frances, played by Greta Gerwig, who is an apprentice for a dance company. While Frances does break up with her boyfriend towards the beginning of the film, the entire story is about her “break up” with her best friend Sophie, played by Mickey Sumner. 

   Both friends deal with problems of growing up. Frances’ including not having a steady income and not getting accepted into the dance company, and Sophie’s including getting into a serious relationship and having to move to another country to support her future spouse. This of course puts a great deal of stress on their relationship, but like all good stories, things end up wonderfully for both young women, and everything is all rainbows and butterflies in their friendship.

   I just can’t get over how positive this picture is. Noah Baumbach and Greta Gerwig wrote the perfect coming of age script. Leaving out all the crap that usually fills the pages. There’s no addictions, no hating one’s self, and no being saved by a boy. This film is really all about Frances, and her dealing with not getting the career she originally wanted, but learning to love the one she got anyway. It’s about her having to let her best friend move on without her, becoming someone else’s roommate and someone else’s right hand man. It’s about her truly growing up, in a healthy way. I absolutely loved this movie.