Диотима с Безуминкой

The film sets up the audience to feel superior to Frances. Oh it starts off quirky and perhaps amusing, but by the time you get to her Paris trip, (her utter failure) almost everyone will laugh at her, not with her. That's intentional.

The audience is also set up to look at Sophie as the 'sensible' one. Despite the fact that they start off the film as "same person, different hair" the audience quickly sees Sophie as staid, mature, and responsible. That's intentional too.

What the audience doesn't realize at this point is that they are being set up. Sophie's life will fall apart and Frances will blossom. All along the mistakes Frances made were easily corrected, while the sensible girl was making a real mess.

As I've written before, Frances earns the audience's easy derision, but it doesn't really amount to much important at all. It says so much about the audience and our attitude to Frances.