Best Actress 2013: Greta Gerwig, Frances Ha

Mumblecore actress Greta Gerwig teamed up with Noah Baumbach to cowrite Frances Ha, which has her playing a late twentysomething figuring it all out.  The first time I saw her was in Baumbach's Greenberg.  I didn't care much for the movie, but I, like many, was instantly enamored by Gerwig.  She continues to do solid work, even being a slight breath of fresh air in commercial bombs like the Arthur remake.  A great deal Frances rests on Gerwig's personality and abilities as a performer, and, from the sounds of it, will be quite satisfying for fans of hers.  Film School Rejects couldn't say enough about the actress: "Gerwig’s bouncy performance ... has a joie de vivre that refuses to let the film sting ... charmingly blended cocktail of naïve optimism, whimsical determination and slapstick ... The film’s most memorable moments are those that capitalize on Gerwig’s graceful inelegance in a world that moves in another direction."  Variety couldn't get enough of her either: "Where other performers act, Gerwig manages to just be, making her precisely the right young star to carry such a genial glimpse at a character who doesn't even seem to realize she's trying to find herself."  Guardian: "Gerwig's performance is full of depth and nuance; self-conscious without being mawkish, clever behind the kook."  IndieWire: "Her finest peformance to date ...  endearing and charming."  Screen Daily: "Gerwig has also matured, as both an unselfconsciously physical comedian and an amiable screen presence, equal parts Lucille Ball and Diane Keaton’s Annie Hall."  Collider: "Gerwig is predictably excellent, effortlessly funny while still retaining a dramatic weight."  Twitch: "Gerwig's chemistry with [her costars] is spectacular."

Frances Ha debuted at Telluride and continued on to TIFF, NYFF, and will be showing at Berlin before IFC Films releases it on May 17th.  The distributor's films generally make less than $5M, though its presence appears to be gradually growing.  It's not exactly an Oscar-magnet, but IFC got In the Loop a screenplay nod just a few years ago, so anything's possible.