FRANCES HA
US, 2013, 86 minutes, Black and white.
Greta Gerwig, Mickey Sumner.
Directed by Noah Baumbach
Greta Gerwig, who co-wrote the screenplay with Noah Baumbach, (The Squid and the Whale). Greenberg), is Frances Halliday. It is at the end, when Frances finally puts her name in the slot for her new apartment, it is too small and she bends it: Frances Ha.
This is a brief and generally lively portrait of a young woman who has not found her place in life. At college, she makes a best friend, her other half, Sophie. They talk intimately, share everything. But it cannot last, and Sophie moves apartment, becomes engaged and moves to Tokyo. Meanwhile, Frances bumbles about, wanting to join a dance company, making faux pas galore, rushing off to a futile weekend in Paris. Basically, she is a nice person but just needs the right encouragement to settle down.
Greta Gerwig (Greenberg, Damsels in Distress, To Rome with Love) makes the character of Frances her own.
1. A light New York story? Focus on Frances?
2. The director, his work, portraits of eccentric characters? The performance of Greta Gerwig? Her collaboration with the screenplay? The black and white photography?
3. The musical score, the range of songs, relevance to characters?
4. The portrait of Frances? The title, the various addresses noted through the film, her final address and abbreviation for her name? Greta Gerwig, tall, 27 years old, vivacious and giddy, her bluster, her being prone to faux pas, self-image? Sophia, her best friend, the college days, reminiscences, the talk and chatter? Sophie in being Frances other half? Her job, apprentice, dancing, her enthusiasm? Her skills and demonstrations for her friends? The preparation for the Christmas pageant, her depending on it for finance, her not being in it? Her friend in the company, her admiration, talking? The relationship with the friends, the discussions, the invitation to move in, her inability to do this, wanting to be with Sophie, the break-up? Sophie and her drinking, the parties? Her relationship with Patch? Meeting Lev and Ben? Sophie and the move to Tribeca, Lev and the women, Frances and Ben watching the television? The coffee with Lev, her tax rebates, her running to the ATM, the distance, falling, her payment? The dinner party, the chatter, her errors, the talk about Paris, knowing the truth about Sophie and Patch, going to Tokyo? Friendship with Rachel? The impulsive trip to Paris, using her credit card? Sleeping, walking through the streets, the phone calls at the wrong time, Sophie’s phone call and length? The group from Paris ringing on her return? Going to see her friend at the company, the job offer, her turning it down? Going to the country, the various jobs, the social, pouring alcohol for the honored guest? The donor and her behavior with the young man? Seeing Sophie and Patch, Sophie’s performance with the donor, the argument with Patch? Frances and her backing out? Going to the dormitory? Her kindness in sitting on the floor with the troubled girl? Soophie and spending the night, talking, leaving in the morning?
5. Her return to New York, accepting the secretarial job, the opportunity to dance, her creating the choreography, the dances, their performance, happy? The drinks afterwards and all her friends present?
6. Sophie and her character, relationship with Frances, Patch, the meetings, Tokyo, her pregnancy, wanting to leave, the dinner and the vodka, meeting at Vassar, her breaking up with Patch? At the performance?
7. Her friends, Rachel, the cynical? Meeting begin again? The characters of van and lev, artists, money? The apartment?
8. France’s settling down, the apartment, Frances Ha and the address?
