Frances Ferguson

Mordaciously hilarious study of smallish town, cornhusker housewife turned scarlet-lettered jailbird. Blame it on ennui. I wish I had a teacher like Frances Ferguson during my high school years, instead I had wizened nuns with bad spanking habits and a bald, pasty man with disturbingly hirsute hands. If she were the teach, I'd have really boned up on my homework assignments. Yeah, so I gained a sort of retroactive, vicarious thrill watching this. The wacky, deadpan narration (except for the odd time when he cracks himself up) by Offerman is a real treat, as is the fine acting by Kaley Wheless. The latter is a fetching, refreshing cross between Taylor Schilling and a less uptight Charlize Theron. Cool cameo by the great Martin Starr helps to perk up the last quarter of the film. This is the part of the film that sort of loses its luster and fizzles out a bit. It gets a little too North Platte-tudinous. You could do a helluva lot worse with your indie film viewing choices.

It might not be everyone's cup of tea but this kind of comedy works perfectly for me. The nihilistic behaviour of the main character Frances Ferguson is a delight to watch. Very good job from Kaley Wheless playing this attractive sex offender. The subject might be controversial but to be honest I think most of the males fantasized about their sexy teacher at one point. That said the story is what it is, to me it was funny, and adding Nick Offerman as the narrator for this movie is probably the best move you could do. He has that kind of soothing voice that is very pleasant to listen to. I'm a big fan of Nick Offerman since watching Parks and Recreation, and even if you don't see him physically in this movie he still has that funny input just with his voice. Frances Ferguson is a simple but effective comedy.

Anyone that doesn't get this movie doesn't get the absurdity of modern society, behavioral norms, relationships, or crime and punishment.

This movie should be an instant classic for anyone with a cynical view of the world. If you do not feel the plight of the admittedly flawed main character, I cannot relate to you and probably envy you.

This is a highly enjoyable film that makes you think about how difficult it is to cope with the pointless and relentless stream of subtle wrongs in the world. Often the result culminates in an foolish act that defines you more than it really should. It is funny because it is in perfect tune with how painful the world can be for those that "get it" that are surrounded by those that don't.

It raises many questions for the independent thinkers, not he least of which is: How is a victim-less crime viewed as worse than the wake of misery left by selfish people?

This film is not for everyone. But it just might be the perfect litmus test to see if you and I can get along.

I've always imagined that I could be a writer. I know I can't write. But if I could be a writer I would write a short story that starts with a word and by the end of the story the definition of the word has been changed. Better yet I'd be a poet writing a poem accomplishing a similar transformation.

Frances Ferguson accomplishes this transformation. This is not a comedy it is a heavy lift by people who can do comedy but choose to lift something that otherwise stinks. Sex offense. For the film epicurean this is no problem. ( As long as it want't written by a priest or a convicted sex offender seeking vindication.)

Don't let your spouse (or friends) catch you watching Frances Ferguson or you're gonna have a look on your face like George Costanza being caught eating a chocolate eclair out of the kitchen trash can at your friends party. 5 stars for script writing balls. A movie gem that makes the continuing hunt worthwhile. If I didn't do my homework and I'm wrong about the intent of the writer, I've been had. After all the only skill needed to write a movie review is the ability to hit keys on a keyboard.

I saw this movie at the SXSW film festival when it premiered, I liked it, the movie is offbeat but settled into a kind of funny rhythm that it maintained. It's about a teacher having an affair with a student. It was a cast and crew screening so there were people laughing at everything which I hate. I wanted the movie to keep going but it was also daylight savings time and I was kind of out of it.