Frances Ha (2013)
Greta Gerwig stars as Frances, an apprentice in a dance company who wants so much more than she has but lives life with unaccountable joy and lightness. This modern fable from Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale, Greenberg) explores youth, friendship, class, ambition, failure and redemption. (tiff.net)
Cast and Information
Directed By: Noah Baumbach
Written By: Greta Gerwig, Noah Baumbach
Starring: Greta Gerwig, Adam Driver, Grace Gummer, Mickey Sumner, Juliet Rylance, Patrick Heusinger, Justine Lupe, Charlotte d'Amboise
Country: USA
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Frances Ha belongs to 54 collections
1. Criterion Collection (collaborative: moderated by caffe - 166 stars)
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5. Female protagonist (collaborative: moderated by djross - 25 stars)
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| Stars | User | Rating | |
| 7 |  |
Hawkins | 68 40th |
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Appears to fulfill some hipster fantasy of whimsically travelling to Paris to spiritually rejuvenate from the soul-eroding profession of dancing. I was almost on board via Gerwig's performance but the film always felt a little too precious about itself to really connect with.
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| 4 |  |
djross | 60 62nd |
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Quite a few good moments in this ode to female friendship, but after a while the character study runs a little dry, and the absence of narrative progression comes to seem something less than a virtue. The protagonist's little triumphs in the final scenes, however low-key the presentation, seem conventional and predictable, almost as if the director has begrudgingly come to accept the inevitability of bowing to the dictates of Hollywood storytelling.
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| 4 |  |
PeaceAnarchy | 84 77th |
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I wanted to love this and I'm not quite sure why I didn't. I still liked it a lot, it was funny and expectedly awkward, but there was something inauthentic about the whole thing that undermined the otherwise very naturalistic performances. Individually every scene works, but as a whole something rings false, but I can't quite put my finger on it.
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| 4 |  |
Bown | 88 88th |
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Baumbach and Gerwig apply Godard's 'make a movie to criticise another movie' statement to basically the entire mumblecore movement and succeed in leaps and bounds. Frances is rather typically flawed but her genuine enthusiasm makes her immensely likeable, and her travels are very charming to watch, with her eventual settling down an extremely satisfactory conclusion. Almost effortlessly captures a light, cheerful mood where so many other films have tipped over into annoying.
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| 3 |  |
XakkMaster | 73 47th |
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A well made and often interesting observational film, though I found Frances (and many of her acquaintances) fairly unrelatable & frustrating. I'm sure there are flighty and rudderless people like this in the world, I just tend to avoid them. However, there's some interesting commentary on class and social media impact on personal relationships to be found, which grounds things a bit. Gerwig's acting is great, despite my complaints about her character. The ending adds a few points for me.
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| 3 |  |
CosmicMonkey | 85 86th |
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I watched this in the middle of a weeks-long depressive episode, and you know what? I actually felt better. Frances taught me that it's okay to not have everything figured out, to be awkward at dinner parties, to fail at things and try again. I think on a deeper level this film has a criticism of the spiritual emptiness and alienation of late capitalism, but on a surface level, it's one of the sunniest, most inspiring, most feel-good movies I've ever seen. So, thanks, Frances.
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| 3 |  |
Judo Koala | 45 9th |
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More navel-gazing mumblecore bullshit that reminds us New York City is still the center of the universe, while the children of celebrities pretend to understand what it's like to not be the child of a celebrity, often riding that fine line between parody and sincerity for much of its duration (though trailing more into the latter as the film progresses, thankfully).
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| 3 |  |
bernardobrum | 60 15th |
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It's like an episode of Friends directed by Godard
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| 3 |  |
stuie299 | 100 99th |
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A movie so effortlessly enjoyable that it makes you question why you ever liked movies that weren't this perfect. The directing, acting, cinematography, and music were all so perfect. Just...PERFECT!
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| 3 |  |
CMonster | 15 5th |
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Gonna go out on a limb and say this wasn't a comedy. Maybe it was if it was from a retarded alternative comic who acts like their sardonic dead pan instantly makes them clever and sarcastic when it really just makes them boring since they don't actually have any good jokes. I want to cut both writers' fingers off so they can never write again. Then I can purchase a crossbow to shoot my eyes out because then I'll never have to see another film that can pretend its deep by being black and white.
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| 3 | xacviant | 83 63rd |
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What starts off as awfully twee (to my eyes, at least) develops into an amusing--and relatable--look at Frances' (Greta Gerwig) struggles with roommates, employment, and her own awkwardness. Gerwig co-wrote the script with director Noah Baumbach, and it's a very honest portrayal both of the New York hipster set and of the emotional conflicts Frances must deal with--in other words, Gerwig wrote herself a good role, and is excellent in it. The B&W cinematography results in some lovely shots.
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| 3 |  |
TheSaberfool | 44 35th |
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Frances is a (mostly) likable, quirky and charming character - an aimless 27-year-old whose dream job as a dancer isn't going to work out, whose roommate/best friend is moving out, and who just generally needs to get her shit together. So, for an hour and a half, we watch her come to terms with these facts and, in the end, get her shit together. Meanwhile, she has (mostly) uninteresting conversations with her (mostly) uninteresting and unlikable friends. A good character given nothing to do.
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| 3 |  |
MikeH | 48 6th |
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This film has taught me a valuable lesson in not relying too much on film critics and the dangers of the critic 'herd mentality'.
This was like an episode of Friends without any jokes. It was bland, self-indulgent and pretentious - like listening to somebody moan about their psychological issues for 90 mins.
A much better alternative to this would be to watch the brilliant Laura Dern in Enlightened, which has sadly been cancelled...
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| 2 |  |
Suture Self | 5 43rd |
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I would have liked this movie more had it not been for the ending, which seems to confirm that our protagonist is 'special' and 'deserving', which isn't necessarily false, just typical of a story about an aimless person finally finding their ground. It's cool that this was shot with a $2k camera, though.
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| 2 |  |
Spunkie | 65 76th |
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To my surprise, I liked it for Gerwig more than Baumbach.
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| 2 |  |
Anomaly | 58 26th |
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Makes the baffling decision to give no real emotional setup, and thus no weight, to the friendship that sets everything off, making it seem like a huge waste of time. Every one of their conversations is flat-out boring, and the conversations with others just go in circles. Some glimmer of Frances' character potential appears in her more impulsive moments, such as the Paris trip, but it's not enough to turn this around.
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| 2 |  |
frederic_g54 | 9 90th |
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I wish I had a friend like Greta Gerwig, so I'd have someone whom I could play chess, engage in frivolous conversations and accidentally start a forest fire with.
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| 2 |  |
KasperL | 70 65th |
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Not without a certain mojo. But ultimately undateable.
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| 2 |  |
hellsditch | 86 87th |
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Someone's a fan of Woody Allen! Shoot, there are plenty worse things to be. But, you know, that's unfair to Baumbach because what he does here with these characters and this woman's story is really his own wonderful, little thing. As a newcomer to his work, he definitely has my attention. Gerwig, however, has had it for awhile now. Refreshing to spend some time with a flawed character who you may actually enjoy spending time with. A genuinely funny, lively and beautifully shot shaggy dog story.
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| 2 |  |
sidehacker | 83 86th |
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Okay, this one's hard to talk about because as much as I enjoy it, I realize it's dependent on "connecting" with the protagonist. Feeling like your friends have their lives in order and yours is a hopeless mess hits close, and it gives the film emotional meat beyond the "struggling 20somethings in New York" bones. I guess you could say this is like a glossy mumblecore, but there's a sweetness and admiration for the characters that's missing from the forced pathos of Swanberg.
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| 2 |  |
JakeAesthete | 74 73rd |
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Points off for the Carax "Modern Love" rip-off/homage. Also is it weird that i felt like this was designed for me to relate to but i feel like i relate to Greenberg much more/basically hated all of these New York asshole characters? Felt maybe more Gerwig than Baumbach/blatant Allen cira-Manhattan homage. Basically higher-tier mumblecore with better cinematography. Still way better than Lena Dunham.
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| 2 |  |
INDYATMN | 73 33rd |
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Critics must hold somewhat scattered NYC hipsters in especially high regard given the level of praise heaped on this. The 1st 30 minutes of unfunny dithering unspool like an inside joke between snarky Williamsburg 20-somethings & its hard 2 imagine any1 other than Lena Dunham acolytes enjoying it. Fortunately things become relatable & acquire a much needed sense of urgency when the movie actually becomes about SOMETHING (i.e. coming 2 terms w/ the realization that ur reach has exceeded ur grasp)
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| 2 |  |
deaddilly | 75 60th |
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Greta's character is so well-written that it scared me how much she reminded me of some people I know.
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| 2 |  |
bof | 81 86th |
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The impossible equation: grow the fuck up, and be true to yourse
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| 2 |  |
Yiannos | 63 53rd |
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It's an interesting mix of the French New Wave, mumblecore and the 70's films of Woody Allen. Unlike 'Tiny Furniture', this is a competently acted, aesthetically pleasing, and keenly observed look at the growing pains of a young woman dealing with the frustrations of not having her personal and professional life sorted. It's nice to see an awkward female character that is arguably more annoying than cute, but despite its episodic structure, the final reel is disappointingly conventional.
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| 1 |  |
Moribunny | 65 65th |
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Clearly owes more to Gerwig than to Baumbach. I didn't like the editing.
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| 1 | nuotio | 64 79th |
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Sort of like Truffaut's Antoine Doinel films mixed with HBO's Girls where French new wave meets NYC hipster scene. Frances Ha is an impressive addition to Baumbach's already strong filmography and while it contains a flawed, sometimes irritating protagonist like his previous films, Frances is more sympathetic and joyful.
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| 1 |  |
cagedwisdom | 50 38th |
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Too bad the protagonist is mostly unrelatable and unlikeable. You're 27, broke, a pretty shitty dancer, and you're obviously not going to make it. So just stick with the dancing and don't try to at least supplement your income with anything outside of that. Then travel to Paris for a day on credit even though you know it's a terrible idea and you have nothing to do there. I don't think I've met anyone who acts this irrationally. Otherwise, a fine film. But it was ruined for me.
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| 1 |  |
driscarpin | 80 65th |
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Primeiro filme que vejo do Baumbach (se não contar os roteiros com Wes Anderson) e gostei... Há muito tempo não via um filme leve como esse, estava até desacostumada. Com direito a icônica referência a Leos Carax, François Truffaut e ao cinema francês em geral.
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| 1 |  |
walkabout | 75 82nd |
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I want to be surrounded by people who burst into tears when Frances and Sophie smile at each other at the end of this little gem of a movie...
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| 1 |  |
Derekstar | 100 96th |
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The throwaway line spoken about Adam Driver's character, "he's into transportation," had me crying from laughter. Also, I was on the razor's edge between crying and not crying for the entire last 10 minutes of the film. The emotional kind of crying, this time. It's so good. I could easily see myself falling into the trap of rewatching this movie ever year or two.
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| 1 |  |
Mojo_Jojo | 74 93rd |
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This could have fallen down the twee hole, but somehow avoids it and ends up becoming the thing that inspired me to quit my job and take up the life of an unsuccessful twenty-something dancer.
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| 1 |  |
Alex Watkins | 4 70th |
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I have some reservations about Frances' sudden turnaround at the end, but it's otherwise excellent - Frances is both empathetic and at the same time incredibly frustrating, often for the same reasons e.g. her short-sightedness and stubborn refusal to ground herself. It's often like watching Woody Allen: The (Post) College Years. The B&W cinematography is really great.
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| 1 |  |
Nathan S | 3 45th |
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A young film, finding warmth and passion in a generation so often lamented for being aimless and aloof. It's a tradition for dumb old people to complain about the youth, but this film speaks to a particular time, place, and perspective.
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| 1 |  |
twincinema | 90 92nd |
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It's amazing what time will do. When I first saw this, I disliked it for the same reasons I loved it on my second viewing.
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| 1 |  |
Stradivarius | 80 70th |
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Enjoyable characters that occasionally strain credibility
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| 1 |  |
Eric WK | 90 89th |
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Baumbach's finest achievement, which is saying more than I realized when I first said it. But really.
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| 1 |  |
moraesfelipe | 64 56th |
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Such an adorable, sincere and cool take on friendship and lonerism and loserism by Baumbach. Not since Bridesmais we had the pleasure to see this kind of confidence in a comedy about girls. Greta shines in every frame, even though it all looks like downhill. She's not a good dancer, she gets drunk too easily, she's lost her best friend to a dude that wears old baseball hats, she broke up with her boyfriend because of a silly fight -- but, see, she is a 27 year old undateable tall and kind soul.
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| 1 |  |
WWallce4prez | 80 72nd |
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I feel the only hope for someone to like this film is have some connection with the main character, which can be tough. Without that, Frances is a less interesting cast member of Girls. It is endearing without needing to put forth much effort. Baumbach has proven his knack for writing a certain type of character that I would like to know...from a distance.
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| 1 |  |
Ocelot | 65 64th |
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The scene in which Frances tries to buy a ticket to Puss in Boots as Every 1's a Winner plays is one of the best scenes in any movie. I wish the rest was as great.
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| 1 |  |
yesistasty | 95 89th |
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It's always refreshing to see a film that perfectly captures the feeling of being young and aimless. Fantastic storytelling.
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| 1 | CarsonWid | 71 61st |
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There were many things I liked about this film, none of which included the plot.
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| 1 | Jazzaloha | 68 58th |
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Gerwig, an interesting actor, plays a millennial Annie Hall/Mary Tyler-Moore. It's a film that feels like it could really launch her career, but it's spotty--particularly the humor: some moments are flat while others come to life and click on all cylinders. The film inexplicably moves back and forth between these moments. I did like how it avoids Hollywood cheesiness and predictability, but something is missing as well. I also like the non-militant feminist vibe. ps:75
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| 1 |  |
katieevans | 86 90th |
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au contraire; extra points for the carax "modern love" homage. extra extra points for greta's existence.
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| 1 |  |
Tjekhov | 50 40th |
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Noah Baumbach has to be the most overrated director in the 21st century. I just don't get it.
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| 1 |  |
MArkjp | 85 80th |
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I guess Noah Baumbach and Greta Gerwig aren't excactly covering new ground as much as they're dancing elegantly over familiar territory with this. In the hands of lesser talents this could've easily been another round of "twentysomethings-having-trouble-getting-their-shit-together", but Gerwig is superbly charming when not having her shit together and Baumbachs directing helps this feel fresh and new. Witty, heartfelt, charming. Wish I didn't have my shit together in NYC instead of Copenhagen.
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| 1 |  |
Wezzo | 90 79th |
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Frances is a wonderful character, offering so many facets to explore, and Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach do a great job of investigating the dichotomy of the twentysomething New Hipster who deserves more out of life, but won't grow up to earn it. Bonus points for beautiful B&W cinematography, excellent support from Adam Driver, and the kind of beautifully sharp dialogue I wish I could write.
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| 1 | doughbaron | 80 80th |
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Baumbach's directing and editing here takes on a frenetic energy that perfectly mirrors Gerwig's performance without calling attention to itself. His best film since Squid and the Whale.
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| 1 |  |
glumpy_99 | 63 22nd |
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Too affected and precious by half and too in love with its characters, and their self-indulgent quirks/whines, to bring much practical insight to their situations and mind-sets. The silky B&W cinematography makes it a pleasure to look at, providing a beautiful showcase for Gerwig, who inhabits her flighty and frustrating character convincingly; her and her friends would not be out of place in a 70s Woody Allen effort (and the MANHATTAN shout-out makes that comparison unavoidable).
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| 1 |  |
eCitizen | 70 70th |
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I quite enjoyed this. Greta Gerwig is indomitable, sweet and playful. I was increasingly invested in her quirky role. Writing is witty, vulnerable and surprising. The supporting cast is wonderful, except for the boyfriend. The black and white format subtracts from it somewhat. Favorite parts were her dancing through the streets & peeing in the subway. The characters and situations felt authentic but sometimes the delivery was slightly forced. Also an interesting examination of female friendship.
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| 1 |  |
Ryan Lueders (ReelRyan) | 35 4th |
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Frances Sigh. This movie starring Greta Gerwig is so pointless. It was like watching Greta's movie "Greenberg" again but with a gender swap. I love Gerwig but these pointless films that just follow people around in their boring lives needs to stop... [Full Review]
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| 1 |  |
guvolefou | 75 54th |
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Başka Sinema - Rexx: Sinemayı seven bir film, orası kesin. Ciddi bir konuyu hafif, uçucu bir üslupla anlatırken, sempatik ve samimi diyalogları, sevilesi karakterleri ve nostaljiyle moderni birleştiren ilginç atmosferiyle ağızda hoş bir tat bırakıyor.
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| 1 | caprimode | 95 95th |
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It starts out flighty, yet fun, but then the final act packs the emotional wallop that you want from a Baumbach movie. Gerwig (and her script) are charming, and it has great ideas about the changes in friendship and relationships that come with being in your late 20's... something that really resonates with me right now. Best of 2013 (so far).
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| 1 | briansteel | 88 14th |
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A movie so honest it hurts, and a good amount of the hurt will also come from laughing.
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| 1 |  |
bonyevitch | 20 6th |
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I didn't really care about the titular character. She's privileged and filled with manufactured strife.
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| 1 |  |
michaels | 40 16th |
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Downer. The lead character is a lethargic bore, and the movie feels poorly structured with little narrative and disconnected scenes.
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| 1 |  |
MacSwell | 50 24th |
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Frances is a whiny, talentless twenty-something whose problems, though relatable, are scarcely sufficient to build this kind of sympathetic character study around, and Gerwig's grating performance only makes this all-the-more apparent. While there are a number of lovely little moments scattered throughout (occasionally stolen from better movies), this simultaneously basks in its own self-importance too readily, making the drama far less inviting than that of Baumbach's previous works.
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| 1 |  |
jenner1407 | 90 97th |
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I didn't want to embrace the final few minutes because the ends were tied a little too neatly, but dammit if they still don't make me cry.
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| 1 |  |
SageSledge | 80 59th |
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"Frances Ha" is an overwhelming depiction of what it's like to transition through a period of life that many use to "find themselves", without the aid of the people who meant the most to us through our formative years. It shows the closest of friends being pulled apart, as well as their inevitable gravitation back to one another, and nothing convinces me that Greta Gerwig has her finger on the collective pulse of an entire generation more than the honesty and heartache of its portrayal here.
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| 1 |  |
feublo | 80 57th |
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Something really admirable about Frances' innocent, quirky and awkward character that made me enjoy the movie. Although it is a typical starving artist in the city story, it still hits home on the millennial era of people trying to figure out their lives. Frances' makes it possible to believe one can sustain joy and their youth despite adversities they may face. A refreshingly honest take on growing up. Great soundtrack to top it off.
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| 1 | milkacow | 35 5th |
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?ZM?R GÖZTEPEN?ND?R!
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| Average Percentile 62.71% from 2706 Ratings |  |