The Little Theatre has a bad habit of advertising the release date for a film and then pulling it at the last minute. But the uncertainty of its arrival also secretly makes you want to see the film more – to the point of obsession. So, after six months of “Coming Soon,” “Dear Frankie” has finally debuted.
“Dear Frankie” depicts the story of one Scottish family, minus a dad, who often move from place to place without an apparent reason. Frankie, played by Jack McElhone, is the deaf son of Lizzie Morrison, played by Emily Mortimer. The actors are surprisingly comfortable with each other on screen, considering restrained communication comprises a large part of the film. Facial expressions often take the place of conversation.
Just as you’re starting to wonder what’s causing all this tension, the truth emerges, and the private lives of this mother-son pair become the central subject matter of the film. Lizzie has been writing Frankie letters, pretending to be his father, making him up to be an officer aboard a ship called the Accra. He travels the world and sends Frankie stamps from every place he visits. Frankie, in turn, writes back about his life, and they develop a relationship, however deceitful.
At first, Lizzie’s deception seems wrong, even cruel. But the satisfaction that both mother and son derive from the letters makes them harmless and even necessary. As Lizzie admits, reading Frankie’s letters is the only way she can hear his voice. And, in turn, Frankie’s imagination supplies him with a much-needed father figure.
Once the Accra arrives in port, Lizzie’s situation is compromised. She is faced with the decision of telling Frankie the truth and losing his trust, or finding someone to pretend to be Frankie’s dad. Unable to confront the lie, she hires a gruff stranger, played by Gerard Butler. From here on out, the story increases in poignancy and starts to fill the emotional void between the characters.
Frankie’s deafness eases the convenience of private conversation, a mechanism cleverly directed by Shona Auerbach. Lizzie’s situation really calls into question what it means to love a child. Is it a matter of protection? And if so, protection from what?
Ultimately, Lizzie shields Frankie from the truth and frees herself from her self-protective fears. What results is an emotionally charged story full of touching scenes of human interaction, without the complication of words.
The dialogue in the film is carefully worded, leaving no room for idle talk or overdramatic scenes. In a world full of meaningless banter, the film is refreshing and simple. Against the background of rustic Scotland, the scenes are very real and the acting natural.
As Auerbach’s directorial debut, “Dear Frankie” proved to be unexpectedly powerful. Auerbach was rightfully nominated for a British Academy Awards for Best First Feature by a British Writer, Director or Producer, and since then, the film has garnered critical acclaim.
Though “Dear Frankie” could be cast as a tear jerker, the mushy stuff was surprisingly toned down. Funny and bitter at times, it was one of those insightful films worth all the time I spent obsessing over its release.
Kazmierski can be reached at zkazmierski@campustimes.org.
