A Brilliant Conflict

Great movie! If you want to be entertained and have a few good laughs, see this movie. The music is also very good,

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

Greta Gerwig deserved an Oscar for this. That's it.

Bring out the adjectives--charming, quirky, funny, gentle. The cast is good, but Gerwig is terrific as the hapless dancer. She's likeable and pathetic at the same time. Everyone knows she is going to have a problem making it as a dancer, except her. This is her version of planning: she thinks about 10 minutes ahead. A sudden trip to Paris--but only 2 days, and then credit card debt. She doesn't seem to have a moment of fun there. Poor Frances. She lurches from one moment to another, trying to figure out what life is and rarely succeeding. The journey is full of fun and laughter, though--well, at least for viewers. But eventually, the worm turns. Let's avoid spoilers and just say things change when Frances Halladay becomes Frances Ha. This is an indie film in the best sense of the genre, small scaled, but well crafted and thought out. Someone mentioned a Woody Allen-esque feel to it--and it does have some of those echoes, but just echoes. You can't dislike Frances. The film's a winner, too. Its wistful, understated feel is irresistible.

Simple story that focuses on a character and little vignettes in her life. A tad aimless, but with charm. Kind of like an afternoon tea in the sunshine... in movie form...

Not much of a summary I know - but I can't think of anything that could be more appropriate. Don't believe the pompous guff that I've read in some of the newspapers - that's how I ended up watching this unsatisfying offering.Without giving away too much of the plot (there isn't one) this film drifts around a lazy, vacuous, self obsessed dancer (who doesn't need to do much dancing, or much anything come to it) as she annoys and judges her few friends and virtually stalks her old college girlfriend.It's unclear where she gets her sense of entitlement from and thankfully, this isn't pursued. What passes for humour extends as far as her zany querkiness which soon wears thin. Anyone who has met (or even dated) one of these types of women will know that the attraction soon wears off - and they rapidly become irritating.The narrative soon becomes as directionless as Frances' life - and a completely pointless and unconvincing trip to Paris is used to boost the interest temporarily. One gets the feeling that the episode has been shoe-horned in to show Frances walking some different kinds of streets, accompanied by some nice shots of the city.Very few of the characters gender any sympathy - perhaps artsy people are the same the world over but it does seem that NY has more than its' fair share. The amazing thing is why anyone would thing the rest of the world is interested.