Greta Gerwig is radiant as a woman in her late twenties in contemporary New York, trying to sort out her ambitions, her finances, and, above all, her tight but changing bond with her best friend, Sophie (Mickey Sumner). Frances lives in New York, but she doesn’t really have an apartment. Frances is an apprentice for a dance company, but she’s not really a dancer. Frances has a best friend named Sophie, but they aren’t really speaking anymore. Frances throws herself headlong into her dreams, even as their possible reality dwindles. Frances wants so much more than she has, but lives her life with unaccountable joy and lightness. “Frances Ha” is a modern comic fable in which director Noah Baumbach explores New York, friendship, class, ambition, failure, and redemption.Extras: Conversation between filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich and the film’s co-writer and director, Noah Baumbach; conversation between actor and filmmaker Sarah Polley and the film’s co-writer and star, Greta Gerwig; conversation about the look of the film between Baumbach, director of photography Sam Levy, and creative director Pascal Dangin; trailer; booklet featuring an essay by playwright Annie Baker. Vitals: Director: Noah Baumbach. Stars: Greta Gerwig, Mickey Sumner, Michael Esper, Adam Driver, Michael Zegen. 2013, CC, MPAA rating: R, 86 min., Comedy, Box office gross: $4.001 million, The Criterion Collection.
