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Frequency

  • 2000
  • PG-13
  • 1h 58m
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
121K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,655
393
Dennis Quaid and Daniel Henson in Frequency (2000)
Home Video Trailer from New Line Home Entertainment
Play trailer2:26
1 Video
87 Photos
Serial KillerSuspense MysteryTime TravelCrimeDramaMysterySci-FiThriller

An accidental cross-time radio link connects father and son across 30 years. The son tries to save his father's life, but then must fix the consequences.An accidental cross-time radio link connects father and son across 30 years. The son tries to save his father's life, but then must fix the consequences.An accidental cross-time radio link connects father and son across 30 years. The son tries to save his father's life, but then must fix the consequences.

  • Director
    • Gregory Hoblit
  • Writer
    • Toby Emmerich
  • Stars
    • Dennis Quaid
    • Jim Caviezel
    • Shawn Doyle
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.4/10
    121K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    3,655
    393
    • Director
      • Gregory Hoblit
    • Writer
      • Toby Emmerich
    • Stars
      • Dennis Quaid
      • Jim Caviezel
      • Shawn Doyle
    • 583User reviews
    • 112Critic reviews
    • 67Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins & 8 nominations total

    Videos1

    Frequency
    Trailer 2:26
    Frequency

    Photos87

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    Top cast51

    Edit
    Dennis Quaid
    Dennis Quaid
    • Frank Sullivan
    Jim Caviezel
    Jim Caviezel
    • John Sullivan
    Shawn Doyle
    Shawn Doyle
    • Jack Shepard
    Elizabeth Mitchell
    Elizabeth Mitchell
    • Julia Sullivan
    Andre Braugher
    Andre Braugher
    • Satch DeLeon
    Noah Emmerich
    Noah Emmerich
    • Gordo Hersch
    Melissa Errico
    Melissa Errico
    • Samantha Thomas
    Daniel Henson
    • Johnny Sullivan (6 Years)
    Jordan Bridges
    Jordan Bridges
    • Graham Gibson
    Stephen Joffe
    Stephen Joffe
    • Gordo Hersch (8 Years)
    Jack McCormack
    • Commander O'Connell
    Peter MacNeill
    Peter MacNeill
    • Butch Foster
    Michael Cera
    Michael Cera
    • Gordy Jr. (10 Years)
    Marin Hinkle
    Marin Hinkle
    • Sissy Clark
    Richard Sali
    Richard Sali
    • Chuck Hayes
    Nesbitt Blaisdell
    Nesbitt Blaisdell
    • Fred Shepard
    Joan Heney
    • Laura Shepard
    Jessica Meyer
    • Teenage Runaway
    • Director
      • Gregory Hoblit
    • Writer
      • Toby Emmerich
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews583

    7.4121K
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    Featured reviews

    shawng-3

    Wow! A thriller that warms your heart!

    An excellent movie, what a pleasant surprise. I can't remember the last time I was in a movie where the audience applauded at the end, and at scenes during the movie, too. It could be called a thriller, but that's just a part of what the movie was about. It was filled with well placed sentimentality and timely humor. Not a moment in the movie was there a wasted scene or a time when I lost interest. Yes, a Hollywood ending, but like most good things, it's the journey not the destination that makes it worth while. I saw it at a sneak preview, and I will go see it again in general release. I highly recommend it. It's not an epic, but it is the best movie I've seen in years.
    8Movie-12

    A complex, thought provoking thriller that is well acted and directed. ***1/2 out of ****.

    FREQUENCY / (2000) ***1/2

    It' 1999. Jim Caviezel stars as John Sullivan, a detective whose life is falling apart. Recently, he has split up from his girlfriend, he and his police partner Satch (Andre Braugher), are unable to solve a serial murder case that has been reopened due to the discovery of skeletal remains of a past victim. The thirty year anniversary of the death of his firefighter father (Dennis Quaid), is also approaching. John is beginning to sink in a pit of despair.

    One night John stumbles upon his dad's old ham radio. He makes an effort to get the machine to power up once again. When he does and begins conversations with another operator, however, he realizes the person he is communicating with is his long dead father. Somehow, due to the presence of the Northern Lights, John is able to transmit back in time to 1969 and literally alter the course of his existence.

    The concept of time traveling communication may seem far-fetched to some, and "Frequency" is a little hard to grasp at times, especially when the film never directly explains why the father and son are able to talk with each other through time. Notwithstanding, the production works as a science fiction thriller with supernatural overtones. While the filmmakers do succeed in convincingly constructing "Frequency," most audiences might have to leave logic at the theater entrance before viewing it.

    "Frequency" is a well-structured motion picture; the movie is focused throughout. Although its story changes pace at different periods, for the most part the audience can follow along with the characters. This is a movie with a complicated and challenging story. Because of the film's complexity, we are enormously involved, if slightly confused. Screenwriter Tobias Emmerich links original and fresh feeling material here. Gregory Hoblit produces the right amount of action and suspense, combined with gentle emotions, to generate a film we have not seen before.

    Dennis Quaid and James Caviezel are the perfect choices for the principal characters. Quaid performs with intriguing tension and appropriate receptivity. Caviezel dazzles with intricacy and dexterity. Offering refined supporting roles are Andre Braugher ("City of Angels", "Get on the Bus") and Noah Emmerich ("The Truman Show") who furnishes some light-hearted material as John's best friend.

    Director Gregory Hoblit ("Fallen," "Primal Fear") clearly executes topics on screen. This film is overflowing with ideas and contains enough plot for a television series. However, "Frequency" is not without flaws. Sullivan's chaotic life is only vaguely portrayed. Although we do care for the character, more development would increase the relationship between the audience and he. Some of the make-up effects depicting age differences were disgraceful. Andre Braugher appeared as if his make up artists were straight out of junior high, slapping too much pancake cream plaster on him. The film's contrived climax concludes with a formalistic fight instead of continuing its battle of wits.

    Despite a few unacceptable external problems, internally this is a very effective production. As a whole, "Frequency" contains a very encompassing story and places interesting characters in engaging circumstances. The movie is definitely worthy of recognition, but do not view it unless you plan on thoroughly discussing it afterwards.
    7alley19627

    Stand up and Cheer!!!

    You can't help it!! You have to cheer and applaud this movie. I can't remember the last time the whole audience clapped at the end of a movie. It has been such a long time since a movie was made that warmed your heart, while keeping you at the edge of your seat. This movie will make you laugh, get a little misty in the eyes, and you won't even notice the time. You're almost sad to see it end. Dennis Quaid is excellent, this is his best movie in years. This movie also has some new faces you won't soon forget. Don't take my word on this, see it your self. You will be thinking about this movie for weeks.
    9rickwiese

    Unique and interesting premise

    This unique and interesting film is actually more of a suspense thriller than a science fiction, although I think fans of both genres will be pleased.

    Dennis Quaid plays a heroic firefighter who was killed trying to rescue a runaway from a burning warehouse during the days of the Amazing Mets' World Series victory in October 1969. Jim Caviezel ("The Thin Red Line") plays his son, now a cop, thirty years later. Through some quirk of physics involving abnormal solar activity and the Aurora Borealis, the two make contact with each other across the 30-year span over a ham radio. The son is able to prevent his father's death, but changing the past also turns out to have unexpected consequences with which the two must deal.

    The film really works on all levels with good action sequences and suspense, a nice dose of humor and some very touching exchanges between father and son. It explores the "what if" scenario of one's being presented with the opportunity to change an event in the past and the way in which those affected must deal with the consequences in a very intelligent and thought-provoking manner.

    The acting is uniformly strong, with Quaid very appealing as the courageous firefighter and loving father who has an almost-childlike love for baseball (he even pulls off a Brooklyn accent nicely!); Caviezel is equally good as the present day version of Quaid's character's son. Caviezel brings a subtle sadness to the character, a quality one might expect from someone whose life hasn't quite worked out quite as well as it might have, possibly due to a void created by the absence of his father. One of the strongest aspects of Caviezel's performance was a subtle shift in personality following the changing of events in the past (a change which left him with memories both of his father's death and of time spent with his father in the intervening years).

    I have a good feeling about this film and think it has a chance to be a real surprise hit. It's certainly one of the best films of the year thus far.
    8TBJCSKCNRRQTreviews

    Good idea, great execution

    The idea of this film is pretty original; I don't think I've ever heard of a story so well-thought out about time-travel/alternate time-lines before. The idea is based on the main character being able to communicate with his father, who's been dead for 30 years. His father hears it then, 30 years earlier. They quickly do some things that shouldn't have happened back then, which then changes the future(or present). The movie deals very well with how they change the future back and forth. The plot is very good, the acting is superb and the characters are all believable. The special effects are very good. The very idea behind the film is very good, but the way it develops so much further is amazing. The ending, while it may seem corny too some, and is, by all means, a bit of a typical Hollywood ending(some might even call it a cop-out), but personally I just think it worked better than anything else could have. I'd recommend this to pretty much anyone who can watch a movie where they have to suspend disbelief, but especially anyone into time-travel or alternate time-lines, as this is, in my opinion, one of the best movies made, concerning this subject. 8/10

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    Related interests

    Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman in Se7en (1995)
    Serial Killer
    James Stewart in Rear Window (1954)
    Suspense Mystery
    Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd in Back to the Future (1985)
    Time Travel
    James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Sharon Angela, Max Casella, Dan Grimaldi, Joe Perrino, Donna Pescow, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Tony Sirico, and Michael Drayer in The Sopranos (1999)
    Crime
    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway in Chinatown (1974)
    Mystery
    James Earl Jones and David Prowse in Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
    Sci-Fi
    Cho Yeo-jeong in Parasite (2019)
    Thriller

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      In the warehouse fire scene, all the firefighters except Dennis Quaid, Peter MacNeill and Jordan Bridges are real.
    • Goofs
      (at around 5 mins) In the 1969 segment, there is a glance of a record collection where you can clearly see the "Elvis Presley In Concert" double album, which was released in 1977.
    • Quotes

      Frank: I'm still here, Chief.

    • Connections
      Featured in Siskel & Ebert: U-571/Love & Basketball/Joe Gould's Secret/Gossip/Pups (2000)
    • Soundtracks
      Crimson and Clover
      Written by Tommy James (as Thomas Gregory Jackson) and Peter P. Lucia Jr.

      Performed by Tommy James and Tommy James & The Shondells

      Courtesy of Rhino Entertainment Co.

      By Arrangement with Warner Special Products

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 28, 2000 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Desafio al tiempo
    • Filming locations
      • Toronto, Ontario, Canada
    • Production company
      • New Line Cinema
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $31,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $45,010,278
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $9,025,584
      • Apr 30, 2000
    • Gross worldwide
      • $68,106,245
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 58m(118 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
      • SDDS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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