Frances Ha
The brief
Greta Gerwig floats through black and white New York like a lost puppy who went to Sarah Lawrence, all elbows and misplaced optimism as her dreams slowly deflate. Baumbach captures that specific millennial drift where you're too old to be figuring it out but too young to panic, set to a perfect soundtrack that makes mundane subway rides feel cinematic. The film moves with the same scattered energy as Frances herself, bouncing between apartments and half-formed plans with surprising warmth beneath its neurotic surface. Perfect for anyone who loved Lady Bird or finds comfort in watching beautiful people be gently terrible at life.
The verdict
If you enjoy watching flawed twentysomethings stumble through life with neurotic charm and appreciate character studies over plot-driven stories, this is a delightfully honest portrayal of post-college drift. If you need clear narrative structure or find privileged people complaining about their problems insufferable, you'll likely find Frances more irritating than endearing.
Watch with
- 👥 Perfect for solo viewing or close friends
- ⚠️ May feel slow for action seekers
Heads up
- Brief depiction of financial stress and career anxiety (brief)
- Some adult language and situations (moderate)
Credits
- Director
- Noah Baumbach
- Cast
- Greta Gerwig, Mickey Sumner, Michael Zegen, Adam Driver, Charlotte d'Amboise, Patrick Heusinger, Michael Esper
Official synopsis
An aspiring dancer moves to New York City and becomes caught up in a whirlwind of flighty fair-weather friends,
The Double
Make a night of it
Pair this with You Were Never Really Here (2017)
Both follow damaged characters drifting through urban loneliness and uncertainty.
Total runtime: 1h 26m + 1h 29m = 2h 55m
