French Exit (2021) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The film takes place primarily in Manhattan, New York, and Paris, France. Frances begins in Manhattan after losing her fortune, then relocates to Paris with her son Malcolm and their cat Small Frank. A transatlantic voyage connects these two worlds, introducing mysterious and occult elements that bridge the old life and the new one.

Foreshadowing: The transatlantic journey early in the film sets up the blend of the rational and supernatural that defines the story's tone.

• manhattan
• paris
• new york
• france
• setting
• locations

After the bank seizes her fortune, Frances decides to leave Manhattan and start fresh in Paris. She hopes the move will help her escape financial ruin and the memories of her late husband Franklin, though she brings Small Frank, believing the cat carries her husband's spirit. The relocation also represents her attempt to maintain control and status despite being virtually penniless.

Foreshadowing: Frances's insistence on preserving her lifestyle even as money runs out establishes her character's stubborn denial of loss.

• frances
• paris
• relocation
• wealth
• financial ruin

The film explores three interconnected themes: death and grief, wealth and decay, and the supernatural blended with memory. Frances struggles to accept her husband's death, clinging to his spirit through the cat. The loss of her fortune exposes how fragile status and wealth truly are. Meanwhile, séances and the cat's supposed reincarnation blur lines between truth and illusion, serving as vehicles to reveal family secrets.

Foreshadowing: The opening scene immediately establishes grief and financial instability as the twin engines driving the characters' choices.

• themes
• death
• grief
• wealth
• supernatural
• memory

Frances Price is a wealthy Manhattan heiress who becomes penniless after the bank seizes her property. Played by Michelle Pfeiffer, she orchestrates the move to Europe as a way to cope with her loss and maintain control over her circumstances. Her charisma masks a ruthless pragmatism shaped by grief and loneliness, and she clings to memories of her deceased husband Franklin as a coping mechanism.

Foreshadowing: Frances's refusal to acknowledge her husband's death in the opening frames sets the tone for her entire character arc.

• frances price
• michelle pfeiffer
• protagonist
• heiress

Malcolm Price is Frances and Franklin's son, portrayed by Lucas Hedges. He grapples with questions about his identity and belonging, particularly regarding clues about his birth. His romantic involvement with Susan complicates the family's dynamics, and he searches for his place within the shifting family structure as they relocate to Paris. He balances affection for his mother with a desire for independence.

Foreshadowing: Flashbacks to young Malcolm reveal the longstanding tension between him and Frances, foreshadowing their complicated adult relationship.

• malcolm price
• lucas hedges
• son
• family

Madeleine the Medium is a fortune teller played by Danielle Macdonald who conducts séances and predicts deaths. Her supernatural abilities disrupt the fragile Price family and illuminate hidden motives. She serves as a catalyst for revelations about Franklin and Frances's relationship, using the dead to speak to the living and revealing truths the family has kept hidden.

Foreshadowing: Madeleine's entrance through the transatlantic voyage signals her importance to the film's mystical elements.

• madeleine
• medium
• fortune teller
• seances
• supernatural

Small Frank is the family's cat, whom Frances believes carries the spirit of her deceased husband Franklin. This belief drives much of her decision-making and creates a central motif linking the supernatural with memory. The cat serves as a physical manifestation of Frances's refusal to let go of the past, blending grief with superstition as the family navigates their new life in Paris.

Foreshadowing: The cat's presence from the beginning establishes the film's blend of absurdist premise and melancholic undertones.

• small frank
• cat
• franklin
• spirit
• reincarnation

The seizure of the Price fortune exposes how fragile wealth and status truly are. Frances's luxury world crumbles as she pursues a precarious life in Paris, yet she maintains her elite sensibilities and refuses to acknowledge her reduced circumstances. Money becomes both a shield and a trap, guiding choices and relationships throughout the film. The contrast between Manhattan opulence and Parisian precarity drives much of the story's tension.

Foreshadowing: The opening bank seizure immediately establishes wealth as a central concern that will shape every character decision.

• wealth
• fortune
• money
• status
• class
• decay

The film blends whimsy with melancholy. Its central premise, a reincarnated cat-husband, and the eccentric behavior of characters create a playful, absurdist quality. However, this is undercut by persistent sadness from themes of grief, loss, and financial collapse. The tone is further defined by a detached, stylish aesthetic and a steady pace through episodic encounters, resulting in a bittersweet atmosphere.

Foreshadowing: The contrast between the whimsical cat premise and Frances's visible grief establishes this tonal duality immediately.

• tone
• style
• mood
• whimsy
• melancholy
• humor

The supernatural elements, particularly the séances with Madeleine and the belief that Small Frank contains Franklin's spirit, blur the lines between truth and illusion. These mystical moments serve as vehicles to reveal lies that have protected or harmed the family. The supernatural functions both as a coping mechanism for Frances and as a plot device to uncover hidden family secrets about Franklin and Frances's relationship.

Foreshadowing: Madeleine's introduction during the transatlantic voyage marks the shift from realistic drama into more mysterious territory.

• supernatural
• memory
• seances
• spirits
• illusion
• medium

Susan, played by Imogen Poots, is Malcolm's fiancée who arrives from New York. She was previously engaged to Tom before her relationship with Malcolm developed. As the family relocates to Paris and tensions rise, she navigates shifting loyalties between her past with Tom and her evolving feelings for Malcolm. Her choices reflect themes of love, loyalty, and independence under pressure.

Foreshadowing: Tom's reappearance in Paris during a confrontation highlights the unresolved romantic tension from Susan's past.

• susan
• imogen poots
• malcolm
• love triangle
• loyalty

Julius, played by Isaach De Bankolé, is a private investigator hired to locate Madeleine the Medium. He navigates Frances and Malcolm's confidences with a calm, professional demeanor, providing a practical counterpoint to the film's occult elements. His presence anchors the Paris chapters as a rational observer, grounding the story's mystical threads in tangible investigation.

Foreshadowing: Julius's methodical approach contrasts sharply with the irrational decisions made by Frances throughout the film.

• julius
• private investigator
• detective
• isaach de bankole