Dear Frankie
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Movie Reviews of Dear Frankie
Movie Review: Dear Frankie
Summary: 5 Stars
The movie is a heart warming tale about a mother, Lizzie, so determined to protect her nine year old deaf but almost nymphishly intelligent son Frankie that she a Stranger to pretend to be his father.
After almost constantly moving Lizzie finally moves Frankie and her mother to a port city in Scotland. Lizzie has been writing to Frankie for years pretending to be his father and telling Frankie that his father is a Petti Officer on a ship. She vividly describes far off destinations and even goes as far as to purchase foreign stamps for Frankie to collect. But this plan goes awry when the ship that Frankie believes his dad is on comes into their port.
Frankie makes a bet with a kid in his class that his father will come to see him and Lizzie is forced to find someone to pretend to be his father or face the prospect of telling her som the that she is the one writing the letters. She confides this to her mom and friend Marie. She tells Marie that she wants to find a Stranger with no past and no future to give Frankie one day of happiness. Marie finds a handsome Stranger and Lizzie pays him to spend a day with her son, with her following them of course. One day becomes two as the Stranger comes to see how remarkable Frankie and his mother are.
This creates an interesting conundrum when Lizzie and the Stranger are romanticly drawn to each other. The Stranger allows Lizzie to let her guard down for one evening as bith Lizzie and her son conquor the Stranger's rugged heart.
Gerald Butler, the Stranger, looks good in anything he touches, but the rapport he establishes with his younger star,Frankie- Jack McElhone, is incredible. Emily Mortimer, Lizzie, is wonderful as the protective and yet gentle mother. Mary Riggins, Nell, provides comic relief as the eccentric grandmother of Frankie and Sharon Small, Marie, is wonderful as Lizzie's friend.
This is a feel good story of strength and inspiration giving yet another example of how wonderful the world is through the eyes of a child.
Movie Review: Astounding
Summary: 5 Stars
Many people have figured out that some low-budget films are as good as any expensively advertised films--even better. Well, Dear Frankie is one of them.
Starring a hugely talented Emily Mortimer as Frankie's mom, Lizzie, the film follows a family around that constanly has to move, because of the fear that Frankie's estranged father will show up and take him away. As Lizzie puts it in the movie, "Frankie wasn't born deaf. It was a gift from his daddy." However, Lizzie wants to protect her son from his disturbing past, and tells him his dad is on a boat. She has him write letters to his "dad", and then reads and answers them herself. This is not, however, a sob story for a unfortunate deaf boy. Frankie is perfectly fine being the way he is, and others are at ease around him, because he is happy.
Anyway, one day, Frankie reads that the boat that his father is supposedly on is coming to a dock very near to his house. His friend bets him his father will not visit, and Lizzie decides to do something about it. She meets a Stranger (Gerard Butler) and he agrees to be Frankie's father. The story unfolds from there beautifully, but I won't spoil it; you have to see the movie!!
I admit, the reason I wanted to see this movie was because the spectacular Gerry Butler was in it! And fans of his, you will be very pleased if you see him in this movie. But everyone and everything about this movie is what really kept it in my memory. It is easy to tell that it truly came from all the actor's hearts, and this really pays off. So, instead of seeing a high budget movie, please, do a favor for yourself and find Dear Frankie. You won't be disappointed.
Movie Review: The Sweetest Movie I Have Ever Seen
Summary: 5 Stars
This movie not only grabbed my heart, it sqeezed it! It is a simple, but unique story that is so sweet, you can't help but cry. This film will leave you smiling.
This story is about a single mother, Lizzie (Emily Mortimer), and her deaf son Frankie (Jack McElhone). Lizzie fled from an abusive marriage, taking Frankie and her mother to make sure she never went back. As Frankie gets older Lizzie is unable to tell him what a terrible man his father was, but she knows that as he gets older he is going to start asking questions about his dad. Lizzie decides to begin writing Frankie letters authored by his father telling him about life as a sailor aboard the ACCRA. Lizzie continues to write Frankie for a few years and is able to arrange a deal with the post office for Frankie to write letters back. As Frankie nears his 10th birthday the real ACCRA is due to dock in Glasgow, Scotland where they live. Lizzie has to make a decision... tell Frankie the truth, or find a man to be Frankie's dad for just one day! Lizzie's mother encourages her to tell Frankie the truth but deep down Lizzie does not want to stop the letters because reading Frankie's letters is "the only way she can hear his voice". Deciding to find Frankie a dad, Lizzie turns to her best friend Marie. Marie finds Lizzie a Stranger (Gerard Butler), a man with "no past, present, future... or name" to be Frankie's dad for just one day.
This is definately a wonderful movie for anyone who is or has been a parent. It is amazing how far a mother's love goes and this film is the perfect example of it. This movie has touched my heart like no other.
Movie Review: A simple and beautiful story
Summary: 5 Stars
Dear Frankie
Dear Frankie is the kind of film where less is definitely more. It's the story of a single Scottish mom Lizzie (Emily Mortimer) and her deaf son Frankie(ably played by Jack McElhone.) Lizzie, her Mum, Nell (Mary Riggans), and Frankie
frequently move to keep one step ahead of Lizzie's abusive ex-husband and his family. Now, newly relocated in the Scottish seaside town of Greenock, she accepts a job at the local fish and chips shop owned by Marie (Sharon Small) and enrolls the boy in school.
Lizzie goes to great lengths to protect her son from the reality of what kind of man his father is, even to renting a post office box and gathering the letters Frankie writes to his father, then answering them elaborately as if Frankie's dad is sailing around the world.
Things get difficult when Frankie learns his dad's ship, the Accra, will be docking in Greenock. What's a mum to do? With a little help from Marie, Lizzie hires a stranger (Gerard Butler) to pretend he's Frankie's dad for a day.
Lizzie is devoted to her son, and this shows so beautifully in the film. It's also charming to see how the stranger softens toward Frankie, asking to spend another day with him.
The film is well directed by Shona Auerbach with excellent photography and a wondrous soundtrack.
This is not a slice of real life type of film, but it is one that will keep you remembering it for a long time.
Highly recommended.
Movie Review: Understated, yet extremely hypnotic...
Summary: 5 Stars
I rented Dear Frankie because I thought the story was original and interesting. I have to admit that at first the heavy Scottish accents were somewhat overwhelming, but once I got into the flow of the film by mid-point I didn't even notice anymore. Now this says a lot about how engrossing this film is. Previous reviewers have written wonderfully detailed story outlines, so I'm not going to repeat what this film is all about...but I still felt the need to express what a pleasure it was to see Dear Frankie. The acting is beyond exceptional...Mortimer as the mom and McElhone as Frankie were extremely expressive and moving...I for one loved Gerard Butler as "The Stranger". There is one scene where they are walking on a dock and he and Lizzie (the mother) are having a conversation and Butler reacts to a very poignant statement...(one that had my hand over my mouth) and his reactions is priceless, it's perfect because it's not over the top. Moments such as this are what make seeing this film an unique experience. The quiet undertone of this film fit the story beautifully because it is about a deaf boy who is ultimately trying to have his voice heard, initially we hear his voice though his letters to his father, this is his mothers one form of communication with him, what she learns in the end is that if she would listen close enough she could hear his voice through those that he touches around him as well. This is why "The Strangers" role is played so understated, he's not meant to take over the situation, but to simply show Lizzie a new way of getting to know her son.