My favourite film of 2013 came out on DVD last Monday and last night I finally got the chance to sit down and watch it. The film details the life of Frances, a 27 year old dancer living in New York who is struggling with the idea of becoming an adult. Directed by Noah Baumbach, that familiar theme is explored of being unsettled and unfulfilled in life. The difference here to the director's previous work is the undeniable spark of hope that comes through in the film.
Played by Greta Gerwig, Frances dispels an awkward self consciousness which is only emphasised by the situations she is placed within. At a dinner party with other adults she is noticeably aware of herself, which makes for uncomfortable yet reassuring viewing. After a particularly insightful comment, Frances blurts out 'I sound stoned... I'm not stoned' and we are reminded that sometimes it is incredibly hard to take yourself seriously.
The spark of the movie comes from Gerwig's always endearing performance and her brilliant portrayal as her character clumsily fumbles her way through life. Combined with the little bouts of humour that continually pop up throughout the film, it's really hard not to fall in love. Baumbach's direction is beautifully sculpted. Through scenes that are often incredibly brief he manages to perfectly reflect the heroine's own erratic personality.
Certainly, the film is incredibly romanticised. Noah's choice to use solely black and white footage emphasises this. Made in the early stages of Baumbach and Gerwig's own relationship, the lens seems to capture the couple's own private romance. Despite this, one of the reasons I personally adore the film is that it doesn't focus on Frances's relationships with men. Instead this takes a back seat to the more poignant romance between her and her best friend Sophie, who she continually notes is the same person as her but with different hair.
Really I think I see a lot of myself in Frances (although I do have a tendency to project myself on to film characters). Living independently for the first time, as I struggle to go about simple daily tasks I often wonder when I will finally feel like an adult. Perhaps what the film realises is that this never really happens and in reality we are all just fumbling through life. Some of us are just better at pretending we know what we're doing. As Frances notes 'I'm not a real person yet' and a comfort is found in the fact that perhaps no one ever really is.
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