Dear Frankie PG-13 Directed by Shona Auerbach Starring Emily Mortimer, Gerard Butler, Jack Melon, Mary Riggans and Sharon Small 104 minutes B
"Dear Frankie" is a drama made lighthearted with bits of humor, but ultimately focuses on a boy's longing for his father.
Jack McElhone plays Frankie, a 9-year-old deaf boy who lives with his mother, Lizzie (Emily Mortimer), and his grandmother in a Scottish town. Frankie writes to his absentee father, whom he thinks works aboard the HMS Accra. What Frankie doesn't know is that Lizzie writes the letters. She keeps secrets from her son, including the reason for his father's absence, but when she learns the Accra is due in port, she hires a stranger (Gerard Butler) to act as Frankie's dad.
Frankie's bond with the stranger captivates the audience with the way they look and act like they could be father and son. The love story between Lizzie and the stranger develops smoothly until the end, then disappears without a clear resolution. Despite that, the movie has no real flaws.
The film's voice-over narration makes the film stand on its own and is all that sets it apart from typical movie fare. The narration is Frankie's voice when he reads the letters, as well for the voice of his father, which turns into the voice of his mother. It's also important to knowing Frankie's thoughts.
Adding to the film's artistry, though not its plot, are the many overhead shots of Scotland's vivid and colorful landscape.
"Dear Frankie" is a good movie with plenty of heart. McElhone has talent and the love story is interesting, if not successfully achieved. Overall, the movie is worth seeing.
