Frances Ha

Half-way through Writer/Director Noah Baumbach’s depressing, find-myself movie Frances Ha, I thought I’d be glib and just say Cinematographer  Sam Levy does a splendid job in reviving Black & White filmmaking and, perhaps, not even rate this work.

But, then, I remembered that I volunteered myself to this task of letting you know what to see and what not to see.  So, I will say that Co-Writer Greta Gerwig does a fine job of depicting Vassar alum Frances, an ill-mannered, slovenly, talk-too-much-about-nothing, 27 year-old wannabe dancer, whose Rubenesque figure condemns her from ever being taken seriously as such.  I don’t know Greta, but I couldn’t help but feel embarrassed for her.  It was almost like watching a desperate friend doing a porn flic.  Why do I want to witness this?

Spoiler alert: Frances does begin to find her calling as a choreographer…at least enough of a finding to be able to get the first two initials of her surname on her mailbox…the “Ha.”  But, I couldn’t help thinking of Woody Allen’s line, “Someday you’ll find yourself…and I’m sure you’ll be disappointed.”  Or, was it Henny Youngman?

 

In any case, again, because of Sam Levy and in hopes that the film might serve as a mirror to scare some 20-somethings into getting their acts together, I’m giving Frances Ha a 2+ out of 5.

 

 

 

 

P.S.: Feeling as if my wallet was violated, I had to go home and shower, during which I found myself humming Maurice Chevalier’s song from Gigi…I’m Glad I’m Not Young Anymore.