Gorgeously steeped in shades of blue, this teenage character study hums with desire, doubt, and secrets that headily ripple through an ensemble cast. Crafting a specific Midwestern suburban milieu, the film acutely captures a state of uncertainty that disrupts one’s religious and sexual identity.

Grounded by the honest attention to relationships so beloved in the films of Nicole Holofcener, Alex Thompson and Kelly O’Sullivan are endeared to messy reality in their down-to-earth debut. Agnostic about God and other men but committed to women’s stories, Saint Frances is a defiant heartwarmer.