I saw Dear Frankie recently and never having heard about it, was pleased that TV Ontario had televised this little gem of a motion picture. On this side of the Atlantic, we often miss out on some of the better movies that come out of the British Isles and this one is no exception. All the actors are excellent and the atmosphere of the Scottish coastal town has a wonderful sense of location, grim and majestic at the same time.
The movie is realistic and heart-warming with an understated sense of humor. The child in the role of Frankie, performed by Jack McElhone, is an absolute delight. He is bright and imaginative child with a severe hearing impairment but not completely deaf (he is using a hearing aid). Yet he can stand up to the bullying tactics of the other kids at school. His mother Lizzie (Emily Mortimer) is coping with the responsibilities of being a single mother, while longing to find a husband. The surrogate father (Gerard Butler) seems to be a natural as the missing link in the family unit, while Lizzie faces the torture of dealing with the real father. The rest of the cast, including Lizzie's mother and her best friend, are all worthy of mention.
The ending is bittersweet but hopeful. It is rare to find a movie that tells a story so well and is yet so down-to-earth. This is fine movie. Don't miss it.
The movie is realistic and heart-warming with an understated sense of humor. The child in the role of Frankie, performed by Jack McElhone, is an absolute delight. He is bright and imaginative child with a severe hearing impairment but not completely deaf (he is using a hearing aid). Yet he can stand up to the bullying tactics of the other kids at school. His mother Lizzie (Emily Mortimer) is coping with the responsibilities of being a single mother, while longing to find a husband. The surrogate father (Gerard Butler) seems to be a natural as the missing link in the family unit, while Lizzie faces the torture of dealing with the real father. The rest of the cast, including Lizzie's mother and her best friend, are all worthy of mention.
The ending is bittersweet but hopeful. It is rare to find a movie that tells a story so well and is yet so down-to-earth. This is fine movie. Don't miss it.