FRANCES HA

 

Directed by Noah Baumbach

Written by Noah Baumbach and Greta Gerwig

With Greta Gerwig, Mickey Sumner, Adam Driver, and Grace Gummer

 

Greta Gerwig, who stars in “Frances Ha,” is like the puppy you always wanted to adopt. This beguiling film tells the story about a 27-year-old woman who is not quite ready for adulthood but too old for college.

Frances (Greta Gerwig) lives in New York with her best friend Sophie (Mickey Sumner). The film begins with a montage of the two of them doing laundry, fake fighting, watching movies in bed, smoking cigarettes on the fire escape, knitting and, mainly, laughing. This is female bonding at its best.

The sweet and rather clueless Frances dreams of being a dancer in spite of her questionable talent. She works as an apprentice for a small dance company. Frances never gives up chasing her dreams. It never occurs to her that she may fail. 

She is crushed when Sylvia announces that she is moving to a better apartment. Next Greta is cut out of the dance group. But, never bitter, she moves on with a childlike optimism.

She lives in a series of apartments, always with friends, never with her name on the lease. She is always agreeable, helpful, never a pessimistic note, but she messes things up for herself. After charging plane fare she cannot afford to her maxed credit card, she flies to Paris for a weekend. Because of her jet lag she takes a sleeping pill. And sleeps though the weekend.

“Frances Ha” feels like Woody Allen’s earlier films. It is shot in crisp black and white in locations throughout the city. And like so many of Allen’s characters, Frances is on a crusade to find herself.

 

Director Noah Baumbach is known for his indie films (“The Squid and the Whale,” “Greenberg”). Greta Gerwig is his girlfriend and this film mightily showcases her appeal. Her character is effervescent, always honest and hopeful, often very funny, always appealing. 

There is a lot of cigarette smoking in “Frances Ha,” which viewers might find disturbing. It would be unfortunate if this is a trend among the 20 somethings.

The film is really about a moment in life, a timeless tale about the joys and sadness of youth. “Frances Ha” is a delight that makes you feel hopeful about life (except for the smoking!). The meaning of “Ha” is revealed in the very last moment of the film. Only a scrooge could watch it without a feeling of delight.