Frankie Starlight

Frank Bois (Corban Walker) is a dwarf with his autobiographical story recalling his past. His mother Bernadette (Anne Parillaud) is a French refugee who stole away on troop transport ship during WWII. Jack Kelly (Gabriel Byrne) is a married man, but falls the damaged woman. Later, Terry Klout (Matt Dillon) would take her to America.

Sometimes adapting from a novel presents movie makers with a problem. There's too much story to fit into a movie. It would probably be better to trim some parts of the story. Even though the present day story has a nice emotional breakdown from Corban Walker, it does disrupt the flow of the flashback story. The disruption is not a good thing.

The first half has a stand out performance from Georgina Cates as Jack's shocked daughter Emma, but she's gone soon enough. The character Emma would return with another actor as the adult version. Gabriel Byrne is solid as the part-time leading man. Parillaud is ethereal and mysterious. Alan Pentony capably plays the young Frankie. Matt Dillon is a brash young guy which he's an expert at playing as the other part-time leading man.

In a way, I think having Bernadette as the protagonist would be better. She's basically the central character in Frankie's story anyways. Parillaud would have to provide more depths in her performance. Being mysterious would only go so far.

Byrne's work, usually excellent, blends in subtly here, works its power through understatement, underplaying. His character's kindness lights and lifts Frankie to the stars, literally and figuratively, but Frankie's star shines brightest. "Frankie Starlight" begs description; the type of beautiful, warm story that just isn't made anymore, that isn't believable, even when it's a true story, as this one is. These movies just don't exist, we're told. I liked "My Left Foot" which received more critical attention and did better at the box office than "Frankie." But "Frankie" -- for no good reason, none I can state --left a warmer, happier impression; maybe because its heroics were less dramatic; it's a simpler story. A "Little, Big Man" without cowboys and Indians, and in this case a really little "little, big man" -- how do you sell such a film? What's that? He's not an American, either? Too bad. Got art-film house written all over it. Yada yada yada. Yet I want to see "Frankie" again -- and then read him, too. Learn a lot more. A fine film, generally low-key, sotto voce -- and so much more powerful because it is.

This is a beautiful movie that is touching. Anne Parillaud character in this film is an innocent young girl who seems lost throughout the film searching for something, maybe love. This movie was supposed to be about a dwarf named Frankie when in fact it is really about a lost beautiful young woman named Bernadette searching for something.

This movie deserves an 8 but I give it a 10 out of 10 because I just adore Anne Parillaud and most of her work. There are some things in this world that touch you almost inexplicably and this film is one of them. Today it seems like there are fewer examples of this. Maybe this would explain why most are numb and apathetic.

Corban Walker and Alan Pentony are both wonderful (would love to see more performances by both) and give the nuanced portrayals that give the title character life and depth that linger past the end of the movie. Gabriel Byrne also is particularly good as one of the two "fathers" that give Frankie all the love and acceptance of which they are capable; the flaws of these men show their compassion that much more clearly. The central figure of Frankie's mother remains elusive (purposefully) and one of her chief motivations is let drop mid-way through the film; but the resolutions of the film are perfect and the astronomy theme provides a setting for most of the actors to portray greater depth for their characters.

"Frankie Starlight" is a sensitive, plaintive, wistful and sometimes ethereal drama about the life of a man and his struggle with dwarfism. The film brings together an solid cosmopolitan cast as it tells the story of Frankie as both a man and a boy with scenes of each interleaved. Though the film is not evocative or compelling, it is mildly entertaining and well shot, directed, and acted. Good easy going stuff with little to fault.