Saint Frances is a compassionate and charming comedy-drama – which provides a departure from prototypical female characterizations on film – and an unlikely analysis of being a mother (or choosing not to be). Facing an unplanned pregnancy and in search of a new job, Bridget is forced to begin nannying for precocious six-year-old Frances, forming an unexpected bond with the child and forging a dynamic that delivers clarity to Bridget’s notions of the self. Non-judgemental in its portrayal of femininity, the film is quietly transgressive in its exploration of family and the female body, and compelling in its on-screen representation of a woman’s right to choose. RG