Our take
Frances (Greta Gerwig) lives in New York – but not the glamorous NYC of Woody Allen movies. Taking place primarily in the gritty and rapidly gentrifying North Brooklyn, the black and white film paints a picture of an extended adolescence. Focusing on the goofy and carefree Frances, who loses her boyfriend, her best friend and her dream of being a dancer. She moves in with two guys, both of whom are more successful than her, and becomes even more determined to fulfil her goals, impractical as they may be. Fans of HBO’s Girls and other odes to not being a “real person” yet will love this film.
What it won
Berlin
1 nom
Golden Globes
1 nom
Spirit Awards
2 noms
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.
Elsewhere
"Frances Ha both acknowledges and earns its place in the tradition of the New York bourgeois comedy, encoding the angst of social mores in witty dialogue. Make no mistake: the cinematic slacker has come of age."
— Anton Bitel
"The thoughtfulness and commitment of Gerwig's performance in its shifts from chaotic exuberance to rigorous rehearsal suggest that she is the more interesting artist to watch."
— Sophie Mayer
Streaming arrival
Who picked it
Christina Ienna is a contributing writer at A Good Movie to Watch and an Italian-Canadian filmmaker and cinematographer. Her writing brings a craft-focused perspective to film and television reviews.
