Greta Gerwig isn't a household name. Her most recognizable acting credit to this day remains her supporting role as Natalie Portman's best friend in the romantic comedy, "No Strings Attached. She was also in the little seen, "Arthur" with Russell Brand and lesser seen, "To Rome With Love". A lot of Gerwig's roles haven't given her room to flex her acting muscles. Her best chance came in the form of 2010's, "Greenberg" which won Gerwig a few random critics awards nominations, but no one really stopped and took notice. Her few supporters on the internet gave her the title of "Indie Queen". But unlike the past recipients of this title (i.e. Jennifer Lawrence, Elizabeth Olsen, Felicity Jones) who have broken through to the mainstream, Gerwig very much remains in the indie world.
Frances Ha, much like its star (Gerwig), didn't really catch on outside of the critics' circles (and even then it was talked about and forgotten instantly). But that's not due to a lack of quality, in fact, the film is Gerwig's best work to date, and succeeds in part to Gerwig's completely devotion and understanding to the character. Not only is she the star, but she helped write the screenplay along with real life boyfriend Noah Baumbach.
The film centers around Frances, a 27 year old who isn't really grown up. Frances is a dancer, but she's not very good at it. In fact, she explains at a dinner party that it's hard to explain what she does for a living because she, "doesn't really do it." Frances has a best friend Sophie (Mickey Sumner, the daughter of singer Sting) who is like Frances "but with different hair." Sophie and Frances do everything together, from sleeping, to play fighting in the park, to playing chess, until one day, Sophie starts to move in a different direction. She starts dating a banker, and opts for dinner parties and dates over sitting on Frances' bed and talking about sexting; in fact, Sophie moves out, leaving Frances alone to pay for rent she can't afford, jobless, and eventually friendless.
All of these challenges and setbacks don't deter Frances from being a confused, immature but happy adult. She takes a trip to France despite not being able to afford it, in an attempt to impress the people in Sophie's friend circle. She tells her date, "I'm not a real adult yet" as a reason behind her not having a debit card. Instead of moving her in with her then boyfriend to save money, she squirms away from the offer, and the relationship because it would cramp her friendship with Sophie, despite the fact that Sophie has already outgrown the friendship. She dances despite being asked to stop; she's a real firework, and she never stops booming, even when it's down pouring outside.
Frances would be an annoying character if it wasn't due to Gerwig's endearing and honest portrayal. She makes you truly feel for Frances, and root for her to grow up, despite the fact you want to grab her and shake her relentlessly instead. In fact, the film itself is a very accurate portrayal of the millennial generation, in a way that Lena Dunham's TV comedy, "Girls" could never be. Many critics have unfairly compared the two projects in reviews, but where many of the characters on Girls feel like caricatures, the people of Frances' world feel very much like people you know. In fact, watching this film was an out of body experience for me, because I felt like I was friends with these people (the reality is I have friends just like these people). Hearing the phrase "I'm poor" (despite the fact people from my generation are far from being actually poor) from people my age and hearing it said the same way in the film was acidly funny.
And that's a testament to how strong the writing is. Baumbach and Gerwig have crafted a true representation of the millennial generation, which these days is under a lot of criticism from their elders. Instead of passing them off as ignorant, cynical, and self-absorbed hipsters, these characters are fully fleshed out, real people, with real problems and real worries, many of the problems and worries I and other people my age face.
The film, though very much a representation of the millennial generation in today's world, is timeless. Shot in beautiful black and white, the film seems very similar to Woody Allens', "Manhatten". Baumbach and Gerwig take a story set very much in the now, but crafted it in a way that you feel it could've been told 10, maybe even 20 years ago. Frances Ha is a triumph in every sense of the word, and it's so upsetting that this delightful film has already been forgotten about. This is the film that should've made Gerwig a star. Not only is her writing talent on the rise, but she seizes her first real character, and runs with it, literally. One of the best sequences of the film shows Gerwig's Frances running joyfully throughout New York while David Bowie's Modern Love plays. No scene in the movie is a better example of the unexpected and unbridled joy that is Frances Ha.
Oscar Chances: In a perfect world, Gerwig and the screenplay would get recognition. In terms of reality, the screenplay has a better chance than Gerwig. The Gotham Awards already passed over on her for their Lead Actress nomination, and their an indie organization. Maybe the critics will bring her back, but look for her lone nomination to be from the always friendly Indie Spirits.
Grade: 8.5/10
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