With your friend? Missing your friend? Feeling happy? Sad? Any and all of these could apply to get the full experience when you sit down to watch Frances Ha. Before the infamous Lady Bird, Greta Gerwig starred in and co-wrote this beautiful coming of age movie about a young woman named Frances finding herself in New York City after college. Although this may initially sound like every cliche romantic-comedy, Frances Ha breaks from the stereotypical woman-centered story by telling an authentic story focusing on the complexity of female friendship and the struggle of following your passion while needing to pay New York City rent.
While most movies push friendship to the side, only allowing the best friend to be the loyal sidekick to help the main character find love, Frances Ha considers the true role of friendship in someone’s life. While characters come and go into these girls’ lives, their love for each other is something that remains constant throughout the movie. Every aspect of the relationship Frances has with her best friend Sophie is organic with delightful humor and relatable pain. From how they joke together to how they fight together, the dialogue captures the authenticity of the film, particularly, the overlapping dialogue. While the way some characters speak in this film is not always realistic, the meaning behind what they are saying is. Despite the fact speaking in a more poetic fashion at some points may defer from the authenticity of the film, I do admire that the two women speak with intellect and affection. But what I appreciate most and what I relate to most in this movie is how it demonstrates the permanent chemistry between two best friends despite any differences, arguments, or time apart.
Of course one of the negatives many immediately take to heart is that not much happens. If you are the kind of person that can only watch a movie if it is jam-packed full of suspense and plot twists, this may not be the movie for you. There is no obvious mission, antagonist, or question that is moving the plot forward. The plot is mainly driven by Frances’s personal growth and actions based on the interactions with her peers. And while there may be some characters that are not particularly likable in this film, Frances herself seems to be her own antagonist in her mission to grow up and be comfortable with herself.
I have learned many lessons from this film that hold true value in my heart. I have learned that the true friends you have will always stay in your life and if you want something to change in your life, you have to take action yourself. Frances Ha is a movie you could watch again and again and again; only growing to appreciate the movie more than you did the last time. But what Frances Ha does best is it makes you appreciate the Sophie in your life.