Frances Ha
2013 · Directed by Noah Baumbach
Original language: English
- comedy
- drama
The story
An aspiring dancer moves to New York City and becomes caught up in a whirlwind of flighty fair-weather friends, diminishing fortunes and career setbacks.
What it’s like
Black-and-white digital photography that feels loose and unfussy, with handheld camera that bounces along sidewalks and into apartments, and long, bright takes of Brooklyn and Manhattan streets under flat daylight. Sound is a warm mix of jaunty indie pop, Georges Delerue-style strings, and the scuffle of city traffic, with plenty of quiet room tone between scenes. The vibe is wistful, funny and affectionate, a scruffy, bittersweet comedy about being broke, underemployed and twenty-something in New York, where clumsy missteps read as charm. The pace is loose and episodic, with small detours to Sacramento and Paris that stretch the rhythm without ever feeling heavy. Its emotional register is generous and awkward; the central arc follows a young woman slowly learning to define her own kind of adulthood and to let go of a friendship that has outgrown her. Intensity is very low: some drinking, sharp verbal awkwardness, a brief scuffle, and no real violence, gore or sexual content. It suits a lazy weekend afternoon, a comfort watch on a grey day, or a late night with a glass of wine. It is for people who want gentle, observant comedy about friendship, drift and finding your footing.
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