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2010s,

I Man up and let Greta Gerwig dance into my heart with Noah Baumbach's Frances Ha - to celebrate it here is a handmade playlist of the sublime soundtrack from Frances Ha - Top 10 Films of 2013

Occasionally I am criticised for my seemingly overriding enjoyment of films that may be perceived as dark whilst looking down upon those that are lighter. It's been so long since I enjoyed an uplifting film without reserve that I almost started believing this - but it is a misnomer. I enjoy all good films with shades of intelligence and Frances Ha is an upbeat film that is both joyful and intelligent and puts an end to that theory.

Frances Ha Greta Gerwig dances into my heart (Click to enlarge)

Greta Gerwig (Damsels in Distress, To Rome with Love, Greenberg) stars as Frances, an apprentice in a dance company who wants so much more than she has but lives life with unaccountable joy and lightness. This modern fable from Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale, Greenberg) explores youth, friendship, class, ambition, failure and redemption.

Frances Ha Quad Poster (Click to enlarge)

I suppose I can see why comparisons are been drawn between Noah Baumbach's delightful Frances Ha and Lena Dunham's TV show Girls they are both brilliant and show women as the beautiful, independent, complicated, intelligent mad creatures they are as opposed to the previously agreed upon stereotypical version we have come to know. Well, there is that and they both feature the disarmingly charming Adam Driver. But that is where the comparison should end whereas Girls has an entire series to fill and increasingly relying on gimmicks to fill the space before reaching some sort of closure or validation of its characters - France Ha can focus on telling its story as it perfectly captures the feelings of both the folly and boundless optimism and of youth.


Going in I didn't know what to expect of Frances Ha and there were moments where I thought it may veer into very dark places and I couldn't help compare Greta Gerwig's Frances to early Woody Allen, their roots are certainly grounded in feelings of otherness and not fitting in bringing her character both strengths in belief of self as well as a vulnerability teetering on the edge of dissolution and failure. Filling the film with the quirky micro relationships that make up big city life, particularly New York, shooting the film in Black and White and underpinning the story with humour only reinforces this.

Frances Ha Mickey Sumner as Sophie (Click to enlarge)

Frances Ha Michael Zegen as Benji Undateable! (Click to enlarge)

A story that follows a New York woman (who doesn't really have an apartment), apprentices for a dance company (though she's not really a dancer), and throws herself headlong into her dreams, even as their possible reality dwindles.Frances Ha in in cinemas from 26 July 2013 Now! 

Director: Noah Baumbach
Stars: Greta Gerwig, Mickey Sumner, Adam Driver

Frances Ha Patrick Heusinger as Patch (Click to enlarge)

Talking about the soundtrack, here is my handmade digital playlist of the sounds of Frances Ha to either reminisce over the joy of this little film or get you in the mood to see it.The full 23 track listing for Frances Ha can be found on IMDB here! Sadly the official Frances Ha soundtrack only as 12 songs included but don't worry as I've added a couple extra into the mix.


Songs featured are:
01. Theme de Camille - Georges Delerue
02. Chrome Sitar - T. Rex
Missing. King Of Hearts La Pavane Polka Georges Delerue
04. L'Ecole Buissoniere - Jean Constantin
05. Blue Sway - Paul McCartney
06. Domicile Conjugal - Antoine Duhamel
07. Young Americans - David Bowie
08. Million Dollar Doll - Dean & Britta
09. Everyone's A Winner - Hot Chocolate
10. Miss Butter's Lament - Harry Nilsson
Missing. Negresco's Waltz - Georges Delerue
Missing. King Of Hearts Le Repos - Georges Delerue

Bonus Tracks
13. Ann Buchanan Theme - Britta Phillips
14. Modern Love - David Bowie
15. Concerto for two Violins, Strings, Basso Continuo and Orchestra in D minor BWV 1043
16. Falling off a Horse - Felix Laband
17. Rocks Off - The Rolling Stones
18. String Quartet in G Major K387 1st Movement

Frances Ha Ahoy! Sexy

The Establishing Shot: I MAN UP AND LET GRETA GERWIG DANCE INTO MY  HEART WITH NOAH BAUMBACH'S FRANCES HA - TO CELEBRATE IT HERE IS A HANDMADE PLAYLIST OF THE SUBLIME SOUNDTRACK FROM FRANCES HA - TOP 10 FILMS OF 2013