Frances Ha

Last updated

Frances Ha
Frances Ha poster.png
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Noah Baumbach
Written by
Produced by
Starring
CinematographySam Levy
Edited by Jennifer Lame
Production
companies
  • RT Features
  • Pine District Pictures
  • Scott Rudin Productions
Distributed by IFC Films
Release dates
Running time
86 minutes [2]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$3 million [3]
Box office$11.3 million [3]

Frances Ha is a 2012 American black-and-white comedy-drama film directed by Noah Baumbach. It is written by Baumbach and Greta Gerwig, who also stars as Frances Halladay, a struggling 27-year-old dancer. The film premiered at the Telluride Film Festival on September 1, 2012, and was given a limited theatrical release in the United States on May 17, 2013, by IFC Films.

Contents

Plot

Frances Halladay is a 27-year-old dancer who lives in New York City with her best friend from college, Sophie. Her life is upended when Sophie tells her she plans to relocate from Brooklyn to Tribeca, which Sophie considers her dream neighborhood, with a different friend. Frances, a struggling would-be dancer working as an apprentice at a dance company, is unable to afford the Brooklyn apartment alone and is forced to find someplace else to live.

She moves to Chinatown and shares an apartment with her friends Lev and Benji for a brief period. Sophie and Frances's relationship struggles as Sophie and her boyfriend, Patch, grow closer. Frances learns that the dance company does not need her to work their Christmas show, which means Frances can no longer afford the apartment. She visits her hometown of Sacramento for Christmas where she sees her family and reconnects with high school friends.

Rachel, a fellow dancer in the company, lets Frances stay with her for a few weeks. During dinner with Rachel's family, Frances discovers that Sophie has quit her job at Random House and is moving to Tokyo with Patch. Frances, on a whim, decides to spend an uneventful couple of days in Paris that she pays for with a credit card. She returns to Vassar, her alma mater , to work as a waitress and summer resident assistant. Overworked and not allowed to take classes, Frances reads Sophie's blog of her life in Tokyo.

One night, Sophie and Patch are at an alumni auction where Frances is waitressing. Frances learns they are engaged and sees the couple get into a fight. She lets a drunk Sophie stay with her in the dorm room she's been given, where Sophie reveals that she suffered a miscarriage while in Japan and is unhappy in her relationship. Sophie goes back to New York City the next morning, leaving a note for Frances. Some time later, Frances returns to Washington Heights in Manhattan. She laments her dire financial situation, her poor prospects as a professional dancer, and her increasingly strained relationship with Sophie.

Frances eventually reconciles with Sophie and enjoys a modest but satisfying existence as a fledgling choreographer, teaching dance to young children, and as a bookkeeper for her former dance company. She starts exploring a potential relationship with Benji and rents her own apartment. Upon moving in, Frances writes her name down onto a slip of paper in order to mark her new mailbox. Her full last name does not fit, so she folds the paper to read: "Frances Ha".

Cast

Production

Frances Ha was directed by Noah Baumbach, and written by Baumbach and Greta Gerwig. Gerwig, who also stars in the film, announced it in April 2012, though Baumbach's involvement was not revealed until the film's listing in the Telluride Film Festival's lineup. Gerwig had starred in Baumbach's 2010 film Greenberg , and they decided to collaborate again. [4] They exchanged ideas, developed characters and eventually co-wrote the script. Gerwig has said that she did not anticipate starring in the film as well, but Baumbach thought she suited the part. Filming locations included New York City, Sacramento, Paris and at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, Baumbach's alma mater. [5]

Gerwig cited Joseph Conrad's novella The Shadow Line and Woody Allen's film Annie Hall (1977) as inspirations for the film. Baumbach and Gerwig also have cited the films of the French New Wave and Woody Allen as influences, as well as Something Wild (1986) and Lost in America (1985) which they watched during the production. [6] [7]

In the bonus features on the home-video release, the filmmakers said that the film was shot in the style of French New Wave cinema, with the tools of a student filmmaker. Even though the production had both the budget for and access to professional-level cinema cameras and lenses, they chose to use the Canon EOS 5D Mark II, a consumer-grade photographic camera that can record high-definition video. Instead of adapting professional cinema lenses, as other cinematographers have done when working with that camera, they used Canon L-series EF prime and zoom lenses designed for still photography. They mostly used a 50mm prime lens and a 70–200mm zoom lens, rarely employing 35mm and 85mm prime lenses because they lacked the mechanics and features common among cinema lenses (when paired with the camera’s large full-frame sensor, they make it difficult to maintain focus). By using a very small camera and extremely limited lighting equipment, the production could quickly and easily move locations without attracting much attention. Without large crews, elaborate sets, and special visual effects, the production could afford to shoot around the world on a fairly limited budget.

Soundtrack

The filmmakers included a number of pop songs in the film, including "Every 1's a Winner" by Hot Chocolate, "Blue Sway " by Paul McCartney, "Chrome Sitar" by T.Rex, and "Modern Love " by David Bowie. [4] "Modern Love" is featured in a scene in Frances Ha that is a remake of a sequence in Leos Carax's Mauvais Sang , where Denis Lavant runs through the streets. [8]

The soundtrack includes a song by Felix Laband and references multiple French films; it contains music by Georges Delerue, Jean Constantin and Antoine Duhamel, who originally wrote for films of the French New Wave. [9]

Release

Frances Ha premiered at the Telluride Film Festival on September 1, 2012. [10] The Los Angeles Times said "audiences seemed pleasantly surprised by the warmth from the often-mordant Baumbach." [5] The film also screened at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 7, 2012, [11] after which IFC Films acquired North- and Latin-American rights to distribute the film in theaters. [12] Frances Ha also screened at the New York Film Festival on September 30, 2012, [4] and at the Edinburgh International Film Festival in June 2013. [13]

The film had a limited release in the United States on May 17, 2013, [1] and was released on Blu-ray and DVD on the Criterion Collection label on November 12, 2013. [14]

Reception

Critical response

The review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes gives Frances Ha a 93% approval rating based on 186 reviews, with an average score of 7.80/10. The website's critical consensus is: "Audiences will need to tolerate a certain amount of narrative drift, but thanks to sensitive direction from Noah Baumbach and an endearing performance from Greta Gerwig, Frances Ha makes it easy to forgive." [15] Metacritic calculated an average score of 82 out of 100 based on 35 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". [16]

Stephanie Zacharek of The Village Voice praised Gerwig's performance, writing, "It's a relief that Frances Ha isn't as assertively frank, in the 'Look, ma, no shame!' way, as Girls . And this is partly Gerwig's vision, too. No other movie has allowed her to display her colors like this. Frances is a little dizzy and frequently maddening, but Gerwig is precise in delineating the character's loopiness: Her lines always hit just behind the beat, like a jazz drummer who pretends to flub yet knows exactly what's up". [17]

Peter Debruge, reviewing for Variety , described Frances Ha: "This modest monochromatic lark doesn't present a story—or even a traditional sequence of scenes—so much as it offers spirited glimpses into the never-predictable life of Frances, a 27-year-old dancer." He said Frances was "a character whose unexceptional concerns and everyday foibles prove as compelling as any New York-set concept picture, delivering an affectionate, stylishly black-and-white portrait of a still-unfledged Gotham gal". [10] Sarah Galo of Mic also noted that Frances Ha “is really quite daring in its portrayal of female friendship. Frances and Sophie go through the motions of being BFFs to breaking up to being reunited in the end.” [18]

The Los Angeles Times highlighted Gerwig's foray as part of a trend of female actors becoming writers or co-writers; other examples include Zoe Kazan with Ruby Sparks and Rashida Jones with Celeste and Jesse Forever . [19] Baumbach filmed Frances Ha with his cinematographer Sam Levy digitally and in black-and-white, the latter to emulate, in part, collaborations by Woody Allen and his cinematographer Gordon Willis, in films like Manhattan (1979). [5] CBS News compared Frances Ha's style to the works of Woody Allen, Jim Jarmusch and François Truffaut. [20]

Accolades

YearCategoryNomineeResultRef.
Golden Globe Awards Best Actress – Comedy or Musical Greta Gerwig Nominated [21]
Independent Spirit Awards Best Feature Frances HaNominated [22]
Best Editing Jennifer LameNominated
Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards Best Actress in a Comedy Greta Gerwig Nominated [23]
British Independent Film Awards Best International Independent Film Frances HaNominated [24]
London Film Critics Circle Film Awards Film of the YearFrances HaNominated [25]
Actress of the Year Greta Gerwig Nominated
Technical Achievement of the YearSam LevyNominated
Toronto Film Critics Association Awards Best Actress Greta Gerwig 2nd Runner-up [26]
Casting Society of America Casting - Low Budget FeatureDouglas Aibel
Henry Russell Bergstein		Nominated [27]
IndieWire Critics Poll Best FilmFrances Ha10th Place [21]
Best Lead Performance Greta Gerwig Nominated
Best Screenplay Noah Baumbach
Greta Gerwig 		Nominated
Central Ohio Film Critics AssociationBest PictureFrances HaNominated [28]
Best Actress Greta Gerwig Nominated
Bodil Awards Best American FilmFrances HaNominated [29]
Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival Audience Award Noah Baumbach 3rd place [30]
Vancouver Film Critics Circle Best Actress Greta Gerwig Nominated [31]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Noah Baumbach</span> American filmmaker

Noah Baumbach is an American film director and screenwriter. He is known for making comedies set in New York City, and his works are inspired by writer-directors such as Woody Allen and Whit Stillman. His frequent collaborators include Wes Anderson, Adam Driver, and Greta Gerwig.

<i>The Squid and the Whale</i> 2005 film by Noah Baumbach

The Squid and the Whale is a 2005 American independent comedy-drama film written and directed by Noah Baumbach and produced by Wes Anderson. It tells the semi-autobiographical story of two boys in Brooklyn dealing with their parents' divorce in 1986. The film is named after the giant squid and sperm whale diorama housed at the American Museum of Natural History, which is seen in the film. The film was shot on Super 16 mm, mostly using a handheld camera.

Michael Chadbourne Mills is an American film and music video director, writer and graphic designer. He made his directorial debut with the independent film Thumbsucker (2005). His followup films include Beginners (2010), 20th Century Women (2016), and C'mon, C'mon (2021). Mills received an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay nomination for 20th Century Women.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Swanberg</span> American filmmaker

Joseph Swanberg is an American independent filmmaker. Known for micro-budget films which make extensive use of improvisation, Swanberg is considered a major figure in the mumblecore film movement. His films often focus on relationships, sex, technology, and the filmmaking process. He is also known for his collaboration with Greta Gerwig.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Britta Phillips</span> American musical artist and actress (born 1963)

Britta Phillips is an American singer-songwriter, musician, record producer, and actress.

<i>Margot at the Wedding</i> 2007 American film

Margot at the Wedding is a 2007 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Noah Baumbach. It stars Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jack Black, John Turturro, Ciarán Hinds and Halley Feiffer. The film is about the familial storm that arises when Margot, a writer, comes to visit her sister Pauline on the eve of her wedding.

Cinephilia is the term used to refer to a passionate interest in films, film theory, and film criticism. The term is a portmanteau of the words cinema and philia, one of the four ancient Greek words for love. A person with a passionate interest in cinema is called a cinephile, cinemaphile, filmophile, or, informally, a film buff. To a cinephile, a film is often not just a source of entertainment as they see films from a more critical point of view.

<i>Greenberg</i> (film) 2010 film by Noah Baumbach

Greenberg is a 2010 American comedy-drama film directed by Noah Baumbach, who wrote the screenplay and co-wrote the story with his then-wife Jennifer Jason Leigh. The film stars Ben Stiller, Greta Gerwig, Rhys Ifans, and Leigh, with Mark Duplass, Merritt Wever, Chris Messina, Brie Larson, Juno Temple, Jake Paltrow, and Dave Franco in supporting roles. The film's soundtrack features the first film score by James Murphy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greta Gerwig</span> American actress and filmmaker (born 1983)

Greta Celeste Gerwig is an American actress, writer, and director. Initially known for working on mumblecore films, she has since expanded from acting in and co-writing independent films to directing major studio films. Gerwig was included in the annual Time 100 list of the most influential people in the world in 2018.

<i>To Rome with Love</i> (film) 2012 film

To Rome with Love is a 2012 magical realist romantic comedy film written, directed by and co-starring Woody Allen in his first acting appearance since 2006, as well as his most recent appearance in a film he's directed. The film is set in Rome, Italy; it was released in Italian theaters on April 13, 2012, and opened in Los Angeles and New York City on June 22, 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mickey Sumner</span> English actress

Brigitte Michael "Mickey" Sumner is an English actress best known for her film roles as Sophie Levee in Frances Ha (2012) and Farrah in The Mend (2014) and her television roles as Katia on Low Winter Sun (2013) and Bess Till on Snowpiercer (2020). She also portrayed Patti Smith in CBGB (2013).

<i>Mistress America</i> 2015 film by Noah Baumbach

Mistress America is a 2015 American comedy film directed by Noah Baumbach. It was written by Baumbach and Greta Gerwig, and stars Gerwig and Lola Kirke. The film was released on August 14, 2015, by Fox Searchlight Pictures.

<i>Maggies Plan</i> 2015 film by Rebecca Miller

Maggie's Plan is a 2015 American romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Rebecca Miller, based on an original story by Karen Rinaldi. The film stars Greta Gerwig, Ethan Hawke, Bill Hader, Maya Rudolph, Travis Fimmel, Wallace Shawn, Ida Rohatyn, and Julianne Moore.

<i>The Meyerowitz Stories</i> 2017 film by Noah Baumbach

The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) is a 2017 American comedy-drama film directed and written by Noah Baumbach. The film stars Adam Sandler, Ben Stiller, Dustin Hoffman, Elizabeth Marvel and Emma Thompson, and follows a group of dysfunctional adult siblings trying to live in the shadow of their father.

<i>Lady Bird</i> (film) 2017 film by Greta Gerwig

Lady Bird is a 2017 American coming-of-age comedy-drama film written and directed by Greta Gerwig in her solo directorial debut. Set in Sacramento, California from fall 2002 to fall 2003, the film tells the story of a high school senior and her strained relationship with her mother. It stars Saoirse Ronan in the title role with Laurie Metcalf, Tracy Letts, Lucas Hedges, Timothée Chalamet, Beanie Feldstein, Stephen McKinley Henderson, and Lois Smith in supporting roles.

<i>Marriage Story</i> 2019 film by Noah Baumbach

Marriage Story is a 2019 drama film written and directed by Noah Baumbach, who also produced the film with David Heyman. It stars Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver as a warring couple going through a coast-to-coast divorce. Laura Dern, Alan Alda, Ray Liotta, Julie Hagerty, and Merritt Wever appear in supporting roles.

<i>Little Women</i> (2019 film) 2019 American film by Greta Gerwig

Little Women is a 2019 American coming-of-age period drama film written and directed by Greta Gerwig. It is the seventh film adaptation of the 1868 novel of the same name by Louisa May Alcott. It chronicles the lives of the March sisters—Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy—in Concord, Massachusetts, during the 19th century. It stars an ensemble cast consisting of Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen, Laura Dern, Timothée Chalamet, Meryl Streep, Tracy Letts, Bob Odenkirk, James Norton, Louis Garrel, and Chris Cooper.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alethea Jones</span> Australian director

Alethea Jones is an Australian film and television director. She is best known for her films Lemonade Stand (2012) and Fun Mom Dinner (2017), and the TV series Queen America.

The 40th Boston Society of Film Critics Awards, honoring the best in filmmaking in 2019, were given on December 15, 2019.

<i>White Noise</i> (2022 film) Film by Noah Baumbach

White Noise is a 2022 absurdist comedy drama film written and directed by Noah Baumbach, adapted from the 1985 novel with the same title by Don DeLillo. It is Baumbach's first directed feature not to be based on an original story of his own. The film stars Adam Driver, Greta Gerwig, and Don Cheadle. Set in the 1980s, the story follows the life of a niche academic and his family as they go through trials and tribulations, beginning with an environmental disaster near their home.

References

  1. 1 2 Jagernauth, Keith (November 30, 2012). "Noah Baumbach's 'Frances Ha' Gets Spring 2013 Release Date; 'End Of Watch' Coming Back To Theaters Next Week". The Playlist. indieWire. Archived from the original on May 11, 2013. Retrieved December 10, 2012.
  2. ↑ "FRANCES HA (15)". British Board of Film Classification . June 26, 2013. Archived from the original on May 13, 2014. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
  3. 1 2 "Frances Ha". The Numbers. Retrieved June 1, 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 Rosen, Christopher (October 1, 2012). "'Frances Ha' At New York Film Festival: Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach Bring Their 'Pop Song' To New York". The Huffington Post .
  5. 1 2 3 Olsen, Mark (September 7, 2012). "'Frances Ha' bonds Noah Baumbach, Greta Gerwig". Los Angeles Times .
  6. ↑ "Frances Ha's Greta Gerwig on Lena Dunham, Woody Allen, and Her Dream of Directing". Miami New Times. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach Talk "Frances Ha" and Falling In Love". The New Yorker. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  8. ↑ Brody, Richard (May 15, 2013). ""Frances Ha" and the Pursuit of Happiness". The New Yorker . ISSN   0028-792X . Retrieved November 15, 2017.
  9. ↑ Eggert, Brian (April 4, 2016), Frances Ha (2013), Deep Focus Review, retrieved June 6, 2018
  10. 1 2 Debruge, Peter (September 1, 2012). "Frances Ha". Variety .
  11. ↑ "Frances Ha". tiff.net. Toronto International Film Festival. Archived from the original on August 5, 2012. Retrieved December 10, 2012.
  12. ↑ McNary, Dave (September 20, 2012). "IFC Films closes U.S. on 'Frances Ha'". Variety .
  13. ↑ "Edinburgh Film Festival programme unveiled". May 29, 2013. Retrieved May 29, 2013.
  14. ↑ "Frances Ha (2013) - The Criterion Collection". Criterion.com. Retrieved June 1, 2014.
  15. ↑ "Frances Ha (2013)". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  16. ↑ "Frances Ha Reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive . Retrieved September 10, 2013.
  17. ↑ Zacharek, Stephanie (May 15, 2013). "Greta Gerwig Stars in Noah Baumbach's Dating Manual, Frances Ha". The Village Voice .
  18. ↑ "'Frances Ha' Review: Noah Baumbach Movie Explores Female Friendship, 20-Something Woes". Mic. June 3, 2013. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
  19. ↑ Olsen, Mark (September 7, 2012). "'Frances Ha' bonds Noah Baumbach, Greta Gerwig". Los Angeles Times. ISSN   0458-3035 . Retrieved November 15, 2017. With this foray into screenwriting, Gerwig, 29, has become part of a current wave of actresses writing or co-writing their own material, a group that includes Zoe Kazan ("Ruby Sparks") and Rashida Jones ("Celeste and Jesse Forever").
  20. ↑ Morgan, David (September 30, 2012). "N.Y. Film Festival: Noah Baumbach's whimsical 'Frances Ha'". CBS News .
  21. 1 2 "Frances Ha - IMDb". IMDb .
  22. ↑ "2014 Spirit Awards: '12 Years A Slave', 'All Is Lost', 'Frances Ha', 'Inside Llewyn Davis' & 'Nebraska' Nab Best Feature Noms". Deadline Hollywood . November 26, 2013. Retrieved March 10, 2014.
  23. ↑ "19th Annual Critics' Choice Movie Awards Nominations". Broadcast Film Critics Association. December 16, 2013. Retrieved March 10, 2014.
  24. ↑ "Nominations 2013: BIFA". British Independent Film Awards . Retrieved March 10, 2014.
  25. ↑ "London Critics' Circle Announces 2014 Film Awards Nominations". The Critics' Circle. London Film Critics Circle. December 17, 2013. Retrieved February 3, 2014.
  26. ↑ "TFCA Announces 2013 Awards". Toronto Film Critics Association. December 16, 2013. Archived from the original on January 17, 2014. Retrieved March 10, 2014.
  27. ↑ "Artios Awards: Casting Society Reveals 2013 Nominees". Variety. August 19, 2013. Retrieved March 10, 2014.
  28. ↑ "Central Ohio Film Critics Award Nominations". Indiewire. January 3, 2012. Retrieved March 10, 2014.
  29. ↑ "Denmark's Bodil Prizes: 'Nympho-maniac', 'The Hunt' Lead Nominations". Deadline Hollywood . January 7, 2014. Retrieved March 10, 2014.
  30. ↑ "Black Nights Film Fest Breaks Audience Record". Estonian Public Broadcasting. December 4, 2013. Retrieved March 10, 2014.
  31. ↑ "And the 2014 VFCC Nominees Are..." Vancouver Film Critics Circle. December 22, 2013. Retrieved March 10, 2014.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.