http://www.chokingonpopcorn.com/popcorn/2004/12/dear-frankie-2004/ Sweet & Salty Movie Reviews! Tue, 03 May 2011 10:57:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://www.chokingonpopcorn.com/popcorn/2004/12/dear-frankie-2004/comment-page-1/#comment-32660 mariken Mon, 06 Jun 2005 19:20:00 +0000 http://www.chokingonpopcorn.com/popcorn/?p=429#comment-32660 Arjan, I really don't think you are giving this movie enough credit. I thought the acting by the four main characters was very very good and I loved how Shona Auerbach let the actors take their time. There were so many uncomfortable moments in this movie that would have been cut short in many other films, I thought her direction (particularly for a first time director) was very brave in that respect. And also I thought that, because she adds all this discomfort and awkwardness, the sentimentality is in fact kept to a minimum. To me this film was actually anyting but a tearjerker because of the soberness and consistency of the colour palette, the well-balanced imagery and the way the actors are allowed to develop their characters. And the little bit of comic relief prevents the film from being top heavy and gives it a ring of truthfulness (my favourite scene is the one where the stranger is sitting in the kitchen and is being eyeballed by Frankie's grandmother). It handles the subject matter with an air of respect where this easely could have ended up being a "movie of the week" kind of thing. The only thing I disliked was the bit at the end. The semi-happy ending felt forced to me. So, I guess it's true. One either loves or hates this movie. You hated it, I loved it. We are probably both right..... Arjan, I really don’t think you are giving this movie enough credit. I thought the acting by the four main characters was very very good and I loved how Shona Auerbach let the actors take their time. There were so many uncomfortable moments in this movie that would have been cut short in many other films, I thought her direction (particularly for a first time director) was very brave in that respect. And also I thought that, because she adds all this discomfort and awkwardness, the sentimentality is in fact kept to a minimum. To me this film was actually anyting but a tearjerker because of the soberness and consistency of the colour palette, the well-balanced imagery and the way the actors are allowed to develop their characters. And the little bit of comic relief prevents the film from being top heavy and gives it a ring of truthfulness (my favourite scene is the one where the stranger is sitting in the kitchen and is being eyeballed by Frankie’s grandmother). It handles the subject matter with an air of respect where this easely could have ended up being a “movie of the week” kind of thing. The only thing I disliked was the bit at the end. The semi-happy ending felt forced to me.
So, I guess it’s true. One either loves or hates this movie. You hated it, I loved it. We are probably both right…..

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