Product: Frequency (2000)
Rating: 4.0
Deep and meaningful; a film that is bound to touch and inspire you...
I'll say this first off; I really like this movie a lot. When I first saw it in the theater I was in awe with it. Sure, I'm not in `awe' anymore, but after watching this movie again last night for like the twentieth time I can definitely say that it still warms my heart. I still get that same feeling every time I hear that Garth Brooks song start to play in the closing of this film; the tears welling in the eyes and this overwhelming happiness comes over me. That said I must admit that this movie has its detractors, they just aren't enough to make me forsake the entire experience.The concept behind `Frequency' is one we've seen done many times before and after. The idea of changing the past is something that intrigues all of us I'm sure since there isn't one person on the face of the planet without regrets. So here we have John Sullivan; a thirty-six year old man who lost his father thirty years ago in a fire. His father Frank was a brave fireman who died saving a young girl from a burning warehouse. This tragedy has destroyed John. He walks around like a zombie with no cares in life whatsoever. He still lives in his father's house, the house he grew up in, the house he never left. It's interesting to me that his mother has since moved out but John stays behind, maybe further addressing the fact that John is the only one who has never moved on or recovered from his fathers death. He stays in the past in everyway possible. One night his best friend's son finds Frank's old ham radio and after tinkering with it John finds that he is able to contact a familiar voice from the past, his father. He soon realizes that he has the opportunity to save his father, to rewrite the past but when he does his future is also rewritten.One thing that I love about `Frequency' is that it works at being a better film than it could have been. It could have merely been a film about a son contacting his dead father and working to save his life, but it does more than that. With an intricately woven sub-plot involving a serial killer from the past who was never caught `Frequency' manages to keep the audience at the edge of their seats throughout the running time. That is a huge plus. It adds layers of intensity that would not have been there otherwise.As far as the acting is concerned, Quaid steals the show. I've always been a fan of this man. He's a very talented actor who never gets the credit or the film roles he deserves. He grabs a hold of Frank Sullivan with all he has and delivers the standout performance here. He masters his accent beautifully, which is essential in this type of role. Elizabeth Mitchell likewise delivers a beautiful performance. She shows a lot of depth even though she has limited screen time and is obviously taking a backseat to the two leading men. Shawn Doyle also delivers, sending shivers down my spine as the suspected killer, and Andre Braugher pulls off an impressive supporting performance as Satch DeLeon, Frank's close friend and John's eventual boss.The biggest detractor for me though is James Caviezel. I've never been too impressed with this actor but here he manages to bore me to tears. I feel nothing from him. His `depressed' John is so overly dramatized that he comes across irritating and unsympathetic. I don't understand why anyone would want to be around him. He's gloomy and moody and whiney and just a complete and utter mess. James could have played him differently, could have played him better. Sure, after he rescues his father he changes his demeanor a bit but it's too little too late for me. The second half of his performance is far better than the first, I will say that.`Frequency' manages though to still hold merit with me. It's a much deeper film than it lets on to be and has the ability to touch the heart and warm the soul. The final moments of the film, filled with this heart racing intensity are flawlessly performed and only add weight to the emotionally uplifting baseball game that closes this touching family film. `Frequency' is a film about love and loss and that desired reconnection with loved ones; a chance to right wrongs and make better decision; a film about getting the chance to live again the consequences and responsibilities that lie within that chance. In that respect `Frequency' works on a much greater level than one might expect and deserves to be seen and admired and talked about.