36th Film Independent Spirit Awards: “French Exit” — Best Supporting Female

FRENCH EXIT

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE

Viewing Information

INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARDS — FILM #10 of 33
MARCH 2, 2021
SCREENER

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
Valerie Mahaffey

Film Synopsis

“My plan was to die before the money ran out,” says 60-year-old penniless Manhattan socialite Frances Price (Michelle Pfeiffer) – but things didn’t go as planned. Her husband Franklin has been dead for 20 years and with his vast inheritance gone, she cashes in the last of her possessions and resolves to live out her twilight days anonymously in a modest apartment in Paris, accompanied by her directionless son Malcolm (Lucas Hedges) and the embodiment of Franklin in the form of “Small Frank,” the family cat.

Characters Synopsis

A lonely and eccentric widow, Mme. Reynard becomes Frances Price’s closest thing to a friend while she’s staying in Paris, after inviting her to a party which ends up just being herself, Frances, and her son.

Looking at Best Supporting Female

“French Exit” is quirky to a fault. A socialite facing a future with no money is an interesting enough concept without adding to it the bit about reincarnation. And the character of Mme. Reynard is so wacky that anyone playing the role would have a hard time convincing me she’s not annoying. For that, I do not see myself voting for Valerie Mahaffey, nor do I see her winning. I’ll be looking toward the “Minari” nominees, particularly Yuh-Jung Youn, who has to be the front-runner.

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
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1. Valerie Mahaffey — “French Exit”