Frequency (2000)

 Frequency
Dennis Quaid and Jim Caviezel are so good in this movie. They play father and son able to communicate via an old ham radio even though his father passed away some thirty years ago. The explanation for this is due to unusual auroral activity and the effect it has on electronics. They discover they have the ability to change history by sharing information when John tells Frank how he died in the line of duty, so many years ago. They work together to stop a serial killer that was never caught, and that now threatens their family in both the past and present. Very on the edge of your seat suspenseful, and entertaining!
March 30, 2008

 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. February 4, 2008

 Pretty intense and the storyline gets pretty complicated
Dennis Quaid and James Caviezel turned in a stellar performance as a Father and Son who talk over the radio 30 years apart to try and figure out the Nightingales killer, only to put themselves past and future in danger. The complexity shows up when they start changing history and things don't necessarily line up correctly anymore, but if you suspend you critical thinking, the movie is still very enjoyable. Great to watch, up to you if you want to own. January 10, 2008

 Wow, Family...
This is one of my all time favorite movies. I haven't seen it with my father yet but I plan to because it really means a lot to me and I expect he'll like it as much as I do.

This movie tells a wonderful story of a sons love for his father. It's a story about family that grows into a murder mystery plot similar to what you might see in one of the Law and Order shows with only a minimal Science Fiction flavor.

Wow, thank you for letting fall into another world and be entertained for a couple hours. Every time I see this movie I walk away with a new sense of love and peace with the world.
November 21, 2007

 Touching Father-Son Fantasy Thriller
Wow, what a suspenseful film! This is a combination crime and fantasy story, a time-travel theme employed as a son is able to talk to his father 30 years in the past and help change history for the better. Far-fetched? Oh, of course, but it's not meant to be taken seriously as something that could happen. Like "Field Of Dreams," it's pure fantasy but a nice father-and-son vehicle that makes you - or at least it did me - bring a tear or two to your eyes.

The young guy is played by Jim Caviel and his dad is played by Dennis Quaid. Both are excellent and likable guys, as they usually are in the films they play.

I've watched this four times in the last four years and totally enjoyed it each time. It''s highly recommended. September 20, 2007

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