Greta Gerwig's Quiet Masterpiece With 92% RT Score That Everyone Forgot

Before she directed Barbie and signed on to reimagine The Chronicles of Narnia, Greta Gerwig was already creating cinema magic.

Millions now know her as a groundbreaking director, but true film enthusiasts have long admired her work both in front of and behind the camera. And Frances Ha is a perfect example of her early works that are touching, adorable and smart. The script is written by Gerwig herself and her now-husband, Noah Baumbach (who also directed the picture).

Francis Ha is a black-and-white indie film that perfectly showcased Gerwig's range as both writer and actor.

A Dance Through Life in Black and White

Frances Ha follows Frances (Greta Gerwig), an apprentice dancer in New York City, figuring out adult life. Alongside her is her best friend, Sophie (Mickey Sumner), who is just trying to do her best as well.

The movie captures the very essence of life as twenty-somethings, the dreams, awkward moments and friendships that shape our early adulthood.

The film helps you to understand yourself. It says things that you’ve always thought of, but just couldn't put them into words exactly just how they're meant to be said. Frances Ha says those words and more, it gives you a friend, who is just as messy and real as you are. Essentially, it's a self-discovery story that's told from a very genuine place. A story with a heart, if you will.

What makes Frances Ha special isn't just its story, but the way it is told. And that's thanks to the brilliant script.

Speaking of the script, as Gerwig herself noted in an interview with The Skinny:

"The hardest stories to write are the delicate ones. You can't muscle through them. They have to be exactly right."

And they've done it 100% right.

Greta Gerwig Performance in Francis Ha is Remarkably Nuanced

Baumbach said:

"With a lot of actors, you’re made aware of what a tour de force their performance is. With Greta, you don’t know where the acting begins or ends."

And it perfectly captures what makes Gerwig's portrayal of Frances so special. She inhabits the character with such naturalism that you forget you're watching a performance at all.

And if you're still not convinced, then you have to know that Gerwig appears in every single scene in this movie. Yep, you heard us right!

So, while we wait for her take on C.S. Lewis's world of Narnia, Frances Ha is a perfect opportunity to experience her earlier work. This movie proves that great stories don't need huge budgets or special effects to have an impact.