1. Nights and Weekends (2008)
Gerwig’s directorial debut began in 2008 with Nights and Weekends, a lo-fi indie film in which she co-directed, co-wrote, co-produced, *and* co-starred alongside actor Joe Swanberg. The plot closely follows Mattie (Greta Gerwig) and James’ (Joe Swanberg) struggles and inevitable fallout with their long-distance relationship. This flick is designated under the ‘mumblecore’ cinematic genre, meaning it’s heavily unscripted and improvised. This unfiltered quality subtly flows into Gerwig’s subsequent films, making them feel super authentic and relatable.
2. Lady Bird (2017)
Gerwig mastered this 2017 coming-of-age film in indescribable ways, and it’ll forever be one of our fave films. Saoirse Ronan stars as Lady Bird, a high school senior navigating her way through friendships, her first dating experiences, a rocky relationship with her mother, and finishing college applications (we’ve all been there in our own way). The movie captured lots of critical acclaim after its release, and was nominated for and even won a handful of awards. With names like Laurie Metcalf, Tracy Letts, Lucas Hedges, Timothee Chalmet, and Beamoe Feldstein involved, this is one you *have* to add to your watch list – if you haven’t already seen it 10 times over like us.
3. Little Women (2019)
In this wonderful iteration of the iconic Little Women tale, Gerwig enlists a group of powerful, talented women to play the March sisters. Saoirse Ronan (Jo), Emma Watson (Meg), Folrence Pugh (Amy), Eliza Scanlen (Beth), and Laura Dern (Marmee) join forces to tell Louisa May Alcott’s original story of love, loss, and family. This modern adaptation is widely praised for its screenplay, acting, and cinematography and is (in our opinion) required watching.
4. Hannah Takes the Stairs
The 2007 romance movie Hannah Takes the Stairs is a great showcase of Gerwig’s talent in both writing and acting. This movie, described as a mumblecore film, follows Gerwig’s character Hannah, who has recently graduated from college and ends up developing a crush on two men that she works with, played by Kent Osborne and Andrew Bujalski. Hannah Takes the Stairs is the perfect way to get introduced to Gerwig’s work, and the film overall touches on the everyday human hardships of developing relationships and navigating life in the city.
5. Mistress America
Gerwig stars in the 2015 drama comedy Mistress America as the determined Brooke alongside Lola Kirke, and was directed by Noah Baumbach. This movie beautifully pairs the drama attached to complicated family dynamics and youthful drifting through life and incredibly genuine humor that would pull in audiences. Gerwig’s performance as an actor, reflected in the writing, established a lot of heart and charisma needed to make a movie like Mistress America this good. Since Gerwig has continued to put forward her multifaceted talents in entertainment, we remain in awe of her projects that showcase her writing abilities as well as her acting.
6. Frances Ha
Frances Ha came out in 2012, and it is a stunner. This film is artistry in motion and was directed by Baumbach. Gerwig, along with being a writer on this film, starred as Frances, a struggling dancer living in New York. Also included in the cast is Adam Driver, Mickey Sumner, and Michael Zegen. The film follows the 27-year-old as she becomes an apprentice at a dance company. This beautifully crafted black-and-white film explores themes of self-acceptance, perseverance, and finding the magic existing in everyday life. We can talk all day about Gerwig’s impact on modern entertainment as a writer, but it would be a disservice to leave Frances Ha out of the conversation.
