Is Frances endearing or annoying?
When does a unique character cross the line from cool and hip to annoying ala Sally Hawkins in Happy Go Lucky?
shareWhen shallow audience members focus on only the superficial.
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MovieChat Forums > Frances Ha (2013) Discussion > Is Frances endearing or annoying?
She's not the type of person I'd really like to hang out with, but I found her optimism endearing, though it led to some very sad moments as she further and further refused to take the next step in her life. I can certainly empathize with that desire to stay in that youthful early 20's bubble.
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For me she crossed the line at the dinner scene when she decides to go to Paris. It was a bit too much and i found it to be very annoying.
shareI agree.
Maybe it's that I know people just like her in real life, but I only found her annoying in spots but they were things that had consequences, like the Paris trip. I know people who've done things like that and the movie accurately captured what happens afterwards. Her optimism, her closeness to her friends and her sense of humor are what made her endearing, overall. She was a pretty well written character and Gerwig performed her very well.
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Her whole attitude during the dinner party is completely childish. I mean who says "we are the same person with different hair" at the age of 28? I guess she was trying to be cute and unconventional but she came off as akward and immature. On the whole I think she was an annoying person, and, well, not a very intelligent one (to say the least).
shareShe was a bit of both, but I'd sad she was slightly more endearing than annoying.
shareBoth.
I'm in my late 50s and, overall, I found her to be annoying for her poor decisions and lack of responsibility.
But... when I think back to my 20s when I didn't have a care in the world, I would have called her behavior "spontaneity" or "joie de vivre" (or something French) and would have been immensely attracted to her.
I think whether you find her endearing or annoying depends on the viewer.
The film sets up the audience to feel superior to Frances. Oh it starts off quirky and perhaps amusing, but by the time you get to her Paris trip, (her utter failure) almost everyone will laugh at her, not with her. That's intentional.
The audience is also set up to look at Sophie as the 'sensible' one. Despite the fact that they start off the film as "same person, different hair" the audience quickly sees Sophie as staid, mature, and responsible. That's intentional too.
What the audience doesn't realize at this point is that they are being set up. Sophie's life will fall apart and Frances will blossom. All along the mistakes Frances made were easily corrected, while the sensible girl was making a real mess.
As I've written before, Frances earns the audience's easy derision, but it doesn't really amount to much important at all. It says so much about the audience and our attitude to Frances.
Q.: "Is Frances endearing or annoying?"
A.: Yes, and yes.
She's pretty extreme in her clinging to some fairly childish, unrealistic ways, but I can relate to a degree, both looking back at younger versions of me, and even sometimes casting about with my current self. Troubling, annoying, but true.
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"Is Frances endearing or annoying?"
A little of both IMO. I'd rate is slightly better than average as far as indy-hipster fare.
She's kinda annoying but she's a great friend, loyal and easy going person. It's hard to find someone like that now. I'd love to have someone like that to be my friend.
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