Frances Ha will forever, deep down, always be my favorite film of all time.

let me explain

so back in early 2020, before the world turned into the subtle, sublime apocalypse it is now, i had recently saw Joker and Marriage Story and i fell in love with this beautiful, indescribable art form we call cinema; i knew there was more to life than a 2 hour distraction. while these films are great, i went looking for more interesting films and i discovered a short (check because i didnt know better), black and white (check because back in the day we all thought b&w=great right) film directed by Noah Baumbach (always a check in my mind).

after watching Frances Ha for the first time, i adored it. i knew Marriage Story was better, but i still loved the music and Gerwig and the atmosphere.

eventually, i grew and found even more unique, abstract, and groundbreaking films: Mirror, Zazie, 2001, and Barry Lyndon just to name a few. this is when i realized the true power of cinema; not only was it a great way for people to enjoy others’ expressions of art, as corny as it sounds, film is a literal way of life. many of the things ive learned, they way i behave and the things i talk about, and, to be honest, who i am today is because of cinema. as cliché as it sounds, i will truly owe it all to cinema.

i received Frances Ha and a few other films on Blu-Ray that following christmas. as my life moved on, i watched more movies but i had other priorities. i had goals for myself that i had to work towards; goals i had to put time and effort towards, time i couldnt spend obsessing over film like most of did during the major part of the pandemic. i focused on other things and, if im being honest, that intense, beautiful spark of cinema we’ve all felt a few times with a few specific films started to slowly drift from my grasp. i didnt necessarily lose sight of it; rather, i couldnt focus on it as much because i was busier. my life was still going good, i just couldn’t spend my nights watching hours of StudioBinder and Criterion extras at that time.

that brings us to today. there are lot of literally life-changing events happening with me as i type this and as i get myself together i realized ive changed a lot since those previous years. but, ive learned to manage my time well enough and i recently decided that i should watch some more films, to remember what it was like to partake in these experiences and to slowly defog my memory.

last night/this morning, i watched Frances Ha for the third of fourth time and let me just say i cried within the first minute of the run time and smiled for practically all of it. i know most people probably don’t understand why i love this film much. its really hard to put into the words apart from saying that this film is me. the past few years i have quite literally become a new person. like ive mentioned, my attitude has changed, my philosophies and beliefs and perspectives and values and friends have changed so drastically, and this film will always bring me back to that point in my life omg im started to tear up right now. the performances are so beautifully unusual in their own perfect way, the music will bring a smile to anyones face, and the atmosphere is so pleasant it practically wraps its arms around you.

no matter how my opinions or anyone elses opinion on this film change, no matter how groundbreaking or dull these elements and the film as a whole may seem, they have created, as cliché as it sounds, truly, one of the greatest feelings ive ever felt in my entire life. no other films have flooded my filled heart with a sweet, nectar-like joy. no other film has immersed me in a dream i wish i could have, a dream so human and plausible that i may live it tomorrow. no other film has shown me how to appreciate human nature through its faults and through our darkest moments as much as our brightest. no other film has ever hugged me through a screen and told me “you’re doing great. even if you’re doing nothing, you’re on a great path in your life and you have great things coming for you and you are unstoppable. even if you knew all of these things, i just wanted to remind you because its easy to forget to just live your life one step at a time; to take things as they come and enjoy them while they last. live your life slowly. savor every slipping second and every beautiful blessing we have on this earth because we may not be here tomorrow and you may not be together with those in your life, but love will always be present as the oxygen we breathe.”

Frances Ha means everything to me; i will always remember this film and be indebted to it. sincerely, thank you Noah, Greta, and the rest of the team for changing my life. thank you so much for reading. <3

- ayyitstaco :)