Frankie

source: Frankie

Ira Sachs's "Frankie" could've been a good movie, but they let the scenes run too long, leaving the whole thing dull (just like Terrence Malick's crummy movies).

Some nice scenic shots throughout (and I'm not talking about Gleeson getting wild in the bedroom) and the time surprisingly went by quickly but a very forgettable movie.

A very atmospheric, set in Portugal with many beautiful shots of the nature. However, the cinematography has a clear tendency for locked off shots showing us the characters, with little movement. This allows to focus on the words being said. Not the most exciting film, but beautiful to watch and enjoy the atmosphere.

This film had a few interesting vignettes and some interesting character interactions. I spent the time wondering where it was actually going to go to. The answer was simple - nowhere! The ending was very peculiar. It was a bit like the the cast just went home for lunch half way through the production and never came back to finish the movie.

Director Ira Sachs (Kept the Lights On, Little Men, Forty Shades of Blue) wrote the screenplay with Mauricio Zacharias for this gentle whisper of a film that is one of the more subtle, visually impressive, and tender reflections on the subtleties of relationships and families to grace the screen. Frankie (Isabelle Huppert) is a famous and much admired film actress who has gathered her dissipated family in Sintra, Portugal as a gesture of farewell: she is in Stage IV metastatic carcinoma. The ensemble includes her first husband Michel (Pascal Greggory) and her son by him Paul (Jérémie Renier), her present husband Jimmy (Brendan Gleeson) and his daughter Sylvia (Vinette Robinson) her husband Ian (Ariyon Bakare) and granddaughter Maya (Sennia Nanua), along with Frankie's longterm hairdresser (from films) friend Ilene (Marisa Tomei) who is with her co-worker Gary (Greg Kinnear). The interweaving of these interesting personalities creates intimate side stories as they gather in this picturesque locale, the home of a magical fountain of life. Frankie has envisioned the way she hopes old connections among this disparate group of people will correct, and while those ideas don't materialize, the mysteries of companionship and love continue to find their own destinies. The spectacularly sensitive cinematography by Rui Poças and the special atmosphere the music of Schubert's Moments Musicaux and Debussy's Arabesques allow the film to be pensive and understated. The quiet prolonged ending of the film is worthy of awards, so well sculpted by director Sachs that it allows the messages of the film to absorb in stillness. In an age when high tech CGI, noisy action, and crude physicality films dominate the screens, this little film is a gentle reminder of those aspects of living that deserve out appreciation.

This film start with a woman "Frankie" swimming at the pool, and she talking to a girl "Maya" scene! As turnout, this film is about a series of conversation occur in one day of vacation at Portugal of Frankie with her family and friend! Entire film full of boring conversation, and annoying overuse scene! Such as, overuse of the walking scene, overuse of the riding train scene, overuse of the tourists walking by scene, and overuse of the staring scene! Make the film unwatchable! At the end, Frankie walk away with her husband "Jimmy" after watching the sunset! That's it! Wasting time to watch!

This is one of those movies I put in the above category. This movie was a put together piece in order to win awards. This movie was NOT meant for the plebeian viewing public, but rather a puff piece so some actors, producers, and the director could get some awards (or more awards). The dead giveaway was the Cannes Film Festival, a big red flag for crappy movies if there ever is one. The actors seem bored and are just going through the motions of acting. I could do a better job. Hell, the main character is not in most of the scenes! Honestly, I think this movie was put together so some people could get to spend time on the Portuguese Riviera and nothing more. Don't waste your time on this drivel

First Hit: Languid look at a family gathered to process a life-altering event. During a day in Sintra, Portugal, Francois Cremont, AKA "Frankie" (Isabelle Huppert) has asked family and friends to gather to spend time together. Frankie is a famous actress and tries to keep a low profile while at this famous picturesque town. She walks with her husband, Jimmy (Brendan Gleeson), and a guide who says at one point, there are miracle heal waters in an undisclosed place near the hotel. You can tell by the way she looks, she's not well. Frankie's invited her son Paul (Jeremie Renier) and close friend Irene (Marisa Tomei), hoping to make a love connection between them. However, Irene has brought her boyfriend Gary (Greg Kinnear) as they were both working on a "Star Wars" film in nearby Spain. Gary springs his plans to ask Irene to make their relationship more permanent by moving in together. He gives her a ring as a token of his intentions. Irene hesitates. The closeness of Irene and Frankie is wonderfully portrayed during their long walk together and then the ride back to the hotel in a small open-air taxi. It's a sweet and revealing moment. Gary, sad at being shunned by Irene, runs into Frankie and learns from her that if Irene didn't come right out and say yes to his proposal that they live together, it's probably something she doesn't want to do. Then Gary shifts and asks if Frankie would be interested in a script, he's thinking of turning into a film. Sylvia and Ian Andoh (Vinette Robinson and Ariyon Bakare) are also at the hotel with their daughter Maya (Sennia Nanua). Sylvia and Ian's marriage is in trouble, and Sylvia wants to move on. Their discussion at the café was impactful when she learns that he's suspected her wanting to leave and tells her what his lawyer has stated. The story has Maya getting away from her frustrated mother that results in a few sweet scenes of Maya taking a trolley to the beach, meeting a boy, and kisses him. These scenes and more are not integrated very well into the overall theme of the film, which to me, was about Frankie trying to say goodbye. There was little character development for all the characters, and therefore the audience is left to fill in the vast spaces left by the dialogue about past events. Huppert is good as Frankie. However, I didn't really care about her character or her story. Tomei was excellent, and she showed a fantastic range of emotions during her conversations with Gary and Frankie. Renier was strong as the son who was probably not very important to his famous mother, Frankie. Gleeson seemed very miscast, and sort of bumbled through this role. I didn't sense any chemistry between him and Frankie and didn't see how they could have been married. Robinson was dynamic as a woman who wanted to leave her husband because she didn't feel like there was anything left for her in her relationship. Bakare was good as Sylvia's husband, who loved his wife but knew she really wanted to leave. Nanua was terrific as the young girl who went to explore the coastal town and discovered more about herself. Kinnear was well cast as an opportunist. Ira Sachs and Mauricio Zacharias wrote this bland screenplay. The dialogue never really seemed to go anywhere and seem to fall into a state of languishment. Sachs directed this film, and I'm not sure what it is he really wanted to say or express. Overall: There was little in this film about human nature, but Sintra seems like a beautiful place to visit.

Set at a Lovely Portuguese Resort Oceanside, here is the story of Frankie a Famous French Film Star who is dying of Cancer. In an attempt to reunite her Family and Friends she invites them all to this Resort so they can spend time together. And that my friends is exactly what you see. Acted out by Pro's with all one Camera shots and mainly 2 character scenes . Simply done by Director Mr Ira Sachs. If you look at it from his angles I thought it was a nice ride. The shots of the Resort are breathtakingly crisp. Beautiful Cast !