Frances Ha

Frances and best friend Sophie playing in NYC. Running through streets, lying in bed talking. Perfect friendship. Frances apprentice in dance company, Sophie in publishing. Young, broke, happy. Life full of possibility.

Frances describes perfect relationship: "We are like couple that met at 12 and got married at 14. We are each other person." Theme: finding your own identity when what defines you changes.

Frances 27, not yet full company member. Boyfriend wants to move in, she declines because lives with Sophie. Sophie is her anchor. Career stalled but friendship solid. Finances precarious but optimistic.

Sophie announces moving to Tribeca with another friend. Frances cannot afford it. Best friendship disrupted. Life plan crumbling. "We are not going to live together anymore?" Foundation shaken.

Frances moves in with two guys, Lev and Benji. Fish out of water. Should she pursue dance despite not being promoted? Chase Sophie or let relationship evolve? Find new place or drift? Identity crisis beginning.

Frances told not promoted to company member. Dance dream stalling. Sophie getting serious with boyfriend Patch. Frances third wheel. Goes on disastrous weekend to friend house. Entering world of uncertainty and change.

Frances and Sophie relationship changing. Less time together. Sophie priorities shifting to boyfriend and career. Frances clinging to past dynamic. Friendship love story facing reality of people growing apart.

Frances stumbling through NYC. Dinner party where she embarrasses herself. Cannot pay rent. Borrows money. Impulsive trip to Paris on credit card, returns immediately. Charming chaos of being unmoored. Promise of premise.

Frances sees Sophie with Patch. They are getting apartment together. Sophie life moving forward. Frances still stuck. Fight about Frances not having life together. Friendship at breaking point. False defeat.

Frances moves back to Sacramento, subletting from Lev. Takes office job at dance company. Career dream seemingly over. Sophie planning wedding. Friends scattered. Financial stress. Everything falling apart.

Frances cannot afford apartment. Must move back to childhood bedroom. Rock bottom. Sophie getting married to someone Frances does not like. Dance career dead. No boyfriend, no apartment, no best friend. Lost.

Frances at home with parents. Lowest point. Everyone else succeeding. She is failure in every metric. Sees photo of childhood self dancing. What happened to that girl? Who is she without Sophie?

Frances choreographs piece for dance company. Finds purpose in creation not performance. Sophie calls, reconnecting. Frances realizes she can define her own success. Synthesis: accepting new version of herself and friendship.

Frances making nameplate for apartment. "Frances Ha" (last name cut off). Imperfect but hers. Running through NYC again but alone now, confident. Same joy, different person. Found herself by letting go.