Frances Ha (2013), R, 4 stars

Greta Gerwig (Frances) expressing herself.

Manhattan, New York. It would be challenging and difficult to live there. I mean, there's always going to be struggle financially and physically to overcome the adversity that is against a new coming resident living in New York. But, it's a fantastic city because you have no obvious idea what's going to be in the way of your life positively or negatively. Ever since Woody Allen's classic films, Annie Hall and Manhattan, I don't know any other filmmaker would ever photography The Big Apple so beautifully, especially in black and white. This filmmaker, Noah Baumbach, does accomplish his task to make a very interesting story in New York.

The movie starts out with Frances Ha and Sophie (Greta Gerwig and Mickey Sumner) where they are just playing around like little children in a park. They are roommates basically talking with each other, smoking, and watching a movie on a laptop. Frances is at Dan's (Michael Esper) apartment and there's some bickering going about because he wants Frances to move in with him but she does not want to because of Sophie and the lease. Dan does not think that relationship is working, but no matter, he just wanted Frances to move in with him.

Unfortunately, it gets worse. Sophie tells Frances that she is going to be moving in with another friend from college. Sophie wants to live in a nicer facility and suburb and Frances is left confused because she thought that Sophie was going to renew the lease and that she broke up with Dan because of Sophie. Frances is distraught and is in peril knowing that she cannot afford the apartment on her own and she does not like Sophie's friend. Frances is alone in sorrow: she practices her dancing techniques alone in the dance studio, and also most of the furniture is gone. What is Frances going to do about her lifestyle in New York?

This is another coming-of-age story that seems so identifiable and realistic with any other young person living alone in a faraway place. It's a difficult and unpredictable test for the road ahead to see what to do with your life. Most of the time, life cannot go the right or certain way that you expect it to be. It's all about money, luck, and connections, especially in New York. But, the movie is a somber comedy that really any teenager or college student or young adult can see. There is funny dialogue but also there are tragic consequences in Frances' life as she is poor financially, not adequately talented and lucky as a professional dancer and her relationship with Sophie is tumultuously labored.

Greta Gerwig is exceptional in this movie as we can easily follow her everywhere she goes from Chinatown to Sacramento to Paris to Poughkeepsie and finally back to New York. At least one trip is paradoxical to the point of why she is in that place. However, we follow almost every detail of her struggles and how she is to deal with physically and emotionally, especially when she is with her parents during Christmas. Gerwig really delivers her funny and emotional lines with fine timing. I especially liked both Sumner's and Charlotte D'Amboise's (the instructor from the dance studio) performance very much.

This movie is a sincere and honest comedy. After the end of the movie, you got to laugh at what Frances had to go through but obviously you know that she is going to be okay. There is a lesson in this journey and I want you to figure it out because it is not the same answer. This movie is a real fine discovery that really does earn the black-and-white cinematography and blends with Frances' sorrow. At times, I thought I was watching another movie from Woody Allen. It's hard to pick this year which is a better coming-of-age movie: Frances Ha or The Spectacular Now? For now, this is a terrific movie.

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