Frankie

As someone who can watch Brendan Gleeson in anything, this movie left me completely unmoved. None of the characters seemed to have their hearts in their roles. The 3-star rating is solely because Gleeson at least gave it a go. But I wouldn't be surprised if he's sorry he has this clunker on his resume.

I can see many negative reviews and can easily understand why. It is not a fun movie. However It interested me quite a lot because it explores many obscure corners in one's life. This is somehow balanced with a beautiful site. I have not been to Portugal but did enjoy 'being there' for the duration on this story.

It was nice to see Brendan Gleeson whom I did not expect to see in a semi French story... Perhaps you'll appreciate this movie as well.

Audience REACTIONS at its North American PREMIERE: 😄😄😄😄😄😄😄(7 laughs) 😢(sadish bit)

Frankie (Ira Sachs) is a psychoanalytical film centred around a classical Isabelle Huppert performance. She explained at TIFF that she is a slightly different person in her performance because she predominantly speaks English instead of her native French. The director revealed that the characters were written for the actors and it truly resulted in a well balanced film.

Perhaps the biggest star in this attractive work is the Sintra landscape in Portugal. This daylight film is a movement throughout a quaint town, magical forest, and quiet mountaintop. Embracing silence, the film makes the eclectic feel familiar in few words. This film is not for everyone because the pacing will lose the attention of those who enjoy fast moving or action based movies. While the film is slow, it is slow in a beautiful way. Frankie is exceptionally stunning as a visual work of art. #filmreactiviews

As a Portuguese movie buff it delights me to no end to have such an incredible cast work in my home country. It really is a fantastic ensemble from very different parts of the world and from different eras and acting schools. You can imagine how disappointed I was when I finally got to see the movie. A very slow, soulless piece, with very little energy and absolutely no interest. And the biggest sin was that Ira Sachs gave all this wonderful and accomplished actors absolutely nothing to work from. Not even the beautiful imagery of Sintra could save this. What a shame and a wasted opportunity.

Frankie (Isabelle Huppert) is having a holiday. A somewhat famous and somewhat rich actor she invites her family for their last outing together as due to her cancer she is not going to make it to Christmas. This is a modern family indeed, which involves her gay ex-husband (Pascal Greggory), her current Scottish hubby Jim (Brandon Gleeson), her stepdaughter and her son (who may or may not have feeling for each other) and a couple from New York Irene (Marisa Tomei) and Gary (Greg Kinnear) who have been summoned here for a reason.

For some it's a good day, for some it's heartbreaking, but for Frankie it may be just one of the few happy ones left...

Told without pathos and preaching this is a quiet reflective film about one strong woman facing her mortality and accepting that no matter what, the world will carry on without her.

Isabelle Huppert gives a great performance as usual, but here there's a feeling she brings in a little bit of her real self to the role. The ensemble of great actors is everything here and makes the patchwork of encounters and dialogues entertaining and meaningful.

FRANKIE may be considered a little dull, there are no comic situations, no great arguments, no characters to root for and hope that they achieve a certain goal. Frankie, just like the rest of her family, is only trying to get through a day and somehow we are very comfortable in their company, watching them wandering aimlessly through the picturesque Portuguese gardens and beaches. FRANKIE is worth watching for the performances and for the soothing feeling that may let you appreciate your life a little more.