Recently, I re-watched the movie, “Frances Ha.” I watched this movie for the first time last year at the start of my first semester of college, and it left a big impact on me in how I view the relationships in my life, specifically the women in my life.
“Frances Ha” follows Frances, a young, eclectic woman who’s a dancer living with her best friend Sophie in New York. The movie takes you through her ups and downs as she struggles to make ends meet with rent and copes with a new distance between her and Sophie after she moves out to live with her boyfriend. Francis, no longer able to fall back on her best friend’s company, goes on a journey of self-discovery on her own, where she meets new people, forms and breaks bonds, and rediscovers her creative spark with a push from her dance instructor.
Greta Gerwig stars as the title character in the movie and puts on a phenomenal performance, in my opinion. She helped direct some of the movie as well, and, if you know anything about Gerwig’s movies, they’re always going to put you in your feels.
The movie is shot in black and white, but the emotion and heart of the story show through in brilliant color. Her best friend is absent for most of the film, but her presence, or the lack thereof, is felt in every scene.
There is a certain moment in the movie when Frances is at a low point, where she explains to someone the exact ideal scenario when you know you’re in love with someone and they love you too. If you haven’t watched this movie and want to, beware, slight spoilers ahead.
She says, “It’s that thing when you’re with someone, and you love them and they know it, and they love you and you know it… but it’s a party… and you’re both talking to other people, and you’re laughing and shining… and you look across the room and catch each other’s eyes… but – but not because you’re possessive, or it’s precisely sexual… but because… that is your person in this life.”
In that moment, in that scene, you know that this line is important. You understand it, and it sits with you, but it’s not until the end of the movie that you see that scenario play out for Frances. When it does happen, though, the moment means so much more because you see who she shares that special moment with, who is, of course, Sophie.
I thought the touch of it being her friend and not a romantic partner was so crucial to not just Frances’s development, but one of the overall messages of the movie. The most important love in your life does not need to be a romantic love; the love shared between two friends can be just as powerful, if not more so.
This movie was so aesthetically pleasing to the eye, and the way it was shot and written felt so intimate. The visuals weren’t flashy, the score wasn’t distracting, and the dialogue felt authentic to these characters, as if you were merely conversing with a friend.
It beautifully portrayed the life and emotions of a young, creative woman trying to navigate life while simultaneously trying to hold on to the important relationships and ambitions that she holds so dear.
This movie leaves you with the indescribable feeling you get when you’re with your friends having a good time, and you realize this and become overwhelmed with compassion and love for these people in your life, but also despair that you can’t live in that moment forever.
When I first watched this, I was at a time in my life when everything seemed to be rapidly changing, with the transition into college life, meeting new people, taking new classes, and figuring out what I’m passionate about all at the same time.
Revisiting it now at the end of my second year of college, I hold it even closer to my heart. College goes by so fast, and every moment I spend with my friends now feels increasingly more bittersweet. Just like Frances, my time living so near to my friends will come to a close, we’ll be spread out across the world, and we could very well not speak for extended periods of time. However, even after long stretches of time, when we meet again, I know it would feel like that moment Frances shared with Sophie.
It made me really appreciate the friends I have in my life that I know I can fall back on. Though I probably don’t reach out to my friends back home nearly as much as I should, I know that when I need to talk, they’ll be there for me just like they always have been.
If you’re looking for a movie to just make you feel, “Frances Ha” is the way to go.