Wikipedia:Sandbox

Frances Ha 2
Directed by	Noah Baumbach
Written by	Noah Baumbach, Greta Gerwig
Produced by	Noah Baumbach, Greta Gerwig, Lila Yacoub, Scott Rudin
Starring	Greta Gerwig, Adam Driver, Mickey Sumner, Grace Gummer, Michael Zegen
Cinematography	Sam Levy
Edited by	Jennifer Lame
Music by	Dean Wareham & Britta Phillips
Distributed by	Focus Features
Release date	July 28, 2023 (2023-07-28) (US)
Running time	108 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$8 million

Frances Ha 2 is a 2023 American black and white comedy-drama film directed by Noah Baumbach and written by Baumbach and Greta Gerwig. It is a sequel to the 2012 film Frances Ha, and stars Gerwig, Adam Driver, Mickey Sumner, Grace Gummer, and Michael Zegen, reprising their roles from the original film. The film follows Frances (Gerwig) several years after the events of the first film, as she navigates her evolving career as a choreographer, her changing relationships with her friends, and the complexities of early middle age in New York City.

The film had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on May 18, 2023, and was theatrically released in the United States on July 28, 2023, by Focus Features. It received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised Gerwig's performance, Baumbach's direction, and the film's insightful and humorous portrayal of contemporary life, although some found it less impactful than the original.

Plot

The film opens in 2023, approximately eleven years after the events of Frances Ha. Frances (Greta Gerwig) is now 38 years old and has established herself as a moderately successful choreographer in New York City. She has her own small dance company and teaches at a local university. While she is professionally fulfilled, her personal life remains a source of both joy and anxiety.

Sophie (Mickey Sumner) is now married with two young children and living in London. While they remain close friends, the geographical distance and differing life stages have created a noticeable shift in their dynamic. Frances misses their spontaneous adventures and late-night conversations, finding their interactions now primarily scheduled and focused on Sophie's family life.

Lev (Adam Driver) is still in New York and has found success as a tech entrepreneur. He and Frances maintain an on-again, off-again friendship characterized by playful banter and underlying romantic tension. Lev's increasing wealth and somewhat detached lifestyle contrast with Frances' more bohemian existence, creating both amusement and friction between them.

The film follows Frances through a year of her life, punctuated by key events:

• **A Company Setback:** Frances' dance company faces a funding crisis, forcing her to make difficult decisions about its future and consider more commercially viable projects, challenging her artistic integrity.
• **Sophie's Visit:** Sophie visits New York with her family. Their attempts to recapture their old closeness are complicated by Sophie's parenting responsibilities and Frances' realization that their lives have irrevocably diverged.
• **A Potential Romance:** Frances meets a charismatic art curator, Daniel (played by a new character, James Norton), who expresses interest in both her work and her personally. This sparks a new romantic possibility for Frances, but also forces her to confront her lingering feelings for Lev and her general anxieties about intimacy and commitment.
• **Creative Block:** Frances struggles with choreographing a new piece, feeling creatively stagnant and questioning her artistic direction. She seeks inspiration from unexpected places, including revisiting her old haunts in Chinatown and reconnecting with former dance mentors.
• **A Career Opportunity:** Frances is offered a guest choreographer position at a prestigious dance festival in Paris. This opportunity is both exciting and daunting, forcing her to step outside her comfort zone and consider a more internationally focused career.

The film culminates with Frances making a significant decision about her career and personal life, embracing the uncertainties and complexities of her current stage of life while reaffirming her commitment to her artistic passion and the enduring importance of her friendships, even as they evolve. The final scene shows Frances, alone but content, watching her dance company perform her new piece, suggesting a sense of self-acceptance and quiet optimism about the future.

Cast

• Greta Gerwig as Frances Halladay: A choreographer in her late 30s, navigating her career and relationships in New York City.
• Adam Driver as Lev Shapiro: Frances' sometimes-friend, sometimes-more-than-friend, now a successful tech entrepreneur.
• Mickey Sumner as Sophie Levee: Frances' best friend, now living in London with her family.
• Grace Gummer as Rachel: Frances' friend and fellow dancer in her company.
• Michael Zegen as Benji: Lev's friend and business partner, still a presence in Frances' social circle.
• James Norton as Daniel (credited as "Introducing James Norton"): A charismatic art curator who becomes a romantic interest for Frances.

Production

Development

Following the critical and commercial success of Frances Ha in 2012, discussions about a potential sequel began informally between Noah Baumbach and Greta Gerwig. In a 2014 interview with Indiewire, Gerwig mentioned that they had "talked loosely about where Frances might be in five or ten years," but emphasized that any sequel would need to feel organic and not forced.

Development remained largely quiet for several years, with Baumbach and Gerwig focusing on other projects. However, in late 2021, reports surfaced in Variety and The Hollywood Reporter indicating that a sequel was indeed in active development, with both Baumbach and Gerwig returning as director and star/co-writer, respectively. The project was officially announced in January 2022, with Focus Features again distributing.

Writing

Baumbach and Gerwig began writing the script in early 2022. They reportedly drew inspiration from conversations about their own experiences navigating their late 30s and early 40s, and the shifting dynamics of friendships and careers at that stage of life. Gerwig stated in an interview with Sight & Sound that they wanted to explore "the quiet anxieties and unexpected joys of entering a new decade," and how Frances would grapple with "a different set of challenges and opportunities than she faced in her twenties."

The script maintained the improvisational feel of the first film, with dialogue often developed through collaboration with the actors. Baumbach and Gerwig also emphasized the importance of retaining the black and white cinematography, feeling it was integral to the film's aesthetic and tone.

Filming

Principal photography began in New York City in June 2022 and lasted for eight weeks. Like the first film, filming took place primarily on location in various neighborhoods of Manhattan and Brooklyn, aiming for a realistic and intimate portrayal of the city. Some scenes were also filmed in Paris for the sequences set during Frances' potential career opportunity.

Sam Levy returned as cinematographer, again shooting in black and white using digital cameras to mimic the look of classic French New Wave cinema, a stylistic choice that became a hallmark of the Frances Ha films. Jennifer Lame also returned as editor, ensuring a continuity of style and pacing with the original.

Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips, who provided music for Frances Ha, returned to compose the score for the sequel. Their score incorporates both original pieces and carefully selected pre-existing tracks, contributing to the film's melancholic and yet optimistic atmosphere.

Budget

Frances Ha 2 was produced on a budget of $8 million, slightly higher than the original film's budget, but still considered a low-budget independent production.

Release

Frances Ha 2 premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on May 18, 2023, as part of the Un Certain Regard section, mirroring the original film's Cannes premiere. It received a standing ovation following its premiere screening.

Focus Features released the film theatrically in the United States on July 28, 2023, in a limited release expanding to wider release over subsequent weeks. It was also released internationally throughout the summer and fall of 2023.

Home Media

Frances Ha 2 was released on digital download and streaming platforms in October 2023, and on Blu-ray and DVD in November 2023 by The Criterion Collection, continuing the precedent set by the original film.

Reception

Critical Response

Frances Ha 2 received generally positive reviews from film critics. Review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 78% based on 185 reviews, with an average rating of 7.1/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "While perhaps lacking some of the fresh charm of its predecessor, Frances Ha 2 offers a warmly familiar and insightful look at growing older, anchored by Greta Gerwig's endearing performance." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 72 out of 100, based on 45 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".

Critics praised Gerwig's nuanced performance, Baumbach's direction, and the film's screenplay for its witty dialogue and relatable portrayal of contemporary anxieties and aspirations. A.O. Scott of The New York Times wrote that the film was "a welcome and gently moving continuation of Frances' story, capturing the bittersweet realities of aging and the enduring power of connection." Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian gave the film four out of five stars, calling it "a charming and insightful sequel that manages to be both familiar and fresh, a testament to Baumbach and Gerwig's collaborative magic."

However, some critics found the film less groundbreaking than the original. Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times noted that while "enjoyable and well-made," Frances Ha 2 "doesn't quite capture the same spark of originality and raw energy" as its predecessor, feeling "slightly more conventional in its narrative structure."

Box Office

As of October 2023, Frances Ha 2 has grossed $25 million worldwide against a budget of $8 million. It was considered a moderate commercial success, particularly for an independent film, performing comparably to the original film's box office.

Accolades

Year			Result Themes Frances Ha 2 continues to explore themes of friendship, identity, ambition, and the challenges of navigating adulthood, but with a focus on the specific anxieties and uncertainties of early middle age. The film examines the evolution of friendships over time, the complexities of romantic relationships, and the ongoing pursuit of creative fulfillment in the face of career setbacks and personal transitions. It also touches upon themes of aging, financial stability versus artistic integrity, and the search for meaning and purpose in a rapidly changing world. Like its predecessor, the film is characterized by its naturalistic dialogue, relatable characters, and a blend of humor and pathos. References External links Frances Ha 2 at IMDb Official website (Placeholder - No official website yet)