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Your Gateway to Music and More from a Christian Perspective Slow down as you approach the gate, and have your change ready.... |
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Your Gateway to Music and More from a Christian Perspective Slow down as you approach the gate, and have your change ready.... |
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Dear Frankie From a quick look at the plot synopsis for Dear Frankie, it would be easy to quickly dismiss the film into the category of typical family movie cheese. That would be a true disservice to this film, however. A well-written, insightful script and honest acting give Dear Frankie a heart and personality all its own that makes the film well worthwhile. Frankie (Jack McElhone) is a nine year old deaf boy who lives with his mother Lizzie (Emily Mortimer) in Glasgow, Ireland. Frankie's father long ago left the family, but Frankie continues to write letters to him. What Lizzie doesn't tell Frankie is that she is the one who actually reads his letters and replies to them as the boy's father. This seems to work fine until the ship that Frankie's father is supposedly on is scheduled to come to harbor. Now Lizzie struggles to not let her son be disappointed as the truth threatens to surface. The film moves along at a steady pace as we quickly grow attached to Frankie and his mum and then begin to watch secrets and desires surface. At the same time, there is a purity to Dear Frankie that is undeniably refreshing. The film is a soulful reminder of the importance of family and of hope. Whether it is intended or not, Dear Frankie also provides unique commentary on how the absence of a father can affect a child. Thankfully, Dear Frankie never settles for simple, cliche plot twists or overly emotional scenes. The emotional build up is well constructed and subtle, providing extra whallop for the film's emotional yet open ending. Most all of the film's scenes work well thanks to a talented cast. All of the cast members are Irish and make the film's setting much more believable. Jack McElhone in particular shines, constantly drawing the viewer into the scenes with his big eyes. The one thing that felt a bit lacking in the film was the editing and possibly the cinematography as well. There are a few scenes scattered throughout that seem a bit haphazard in the pacing of the cuts and particularly in the shots that are placed next to each other. Part of this could be due to an absence of interesting angles for some scenes, but it seems that the editor could have been braver and relied on some shots to speak longer instead of constantly cutting to similar, yet uninteresting angles. My complaints are small in light of the film as a whole. Dear Frankie is a winner, worthy of viewing both for families and those who like a good indie film. It will warm you, but it won't patronize you. Perhaps Hollywood writers could learn a thing or two from Dear Frankie. Trae Cadenhead 3/19/2005
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