#TIFF19 Review: Frankie (Special Presentations)
By John Corrado
★★½ (out of 4)
Françoise Crémont (Isabelle Huppert), affectionately referred to as Frankie, is an aging French actress who invites her family and friends to a sprawling villa in Sintra, Portugal for a vacation together that could end up being their last. There’s her son Paul (Jérémie Renier), current husband Jimmy (Brendan Gleeson) and ex-husband Michel (Pascal Greggory), and her daughter Sylvia (Vinette Robinson) who is their with her husband Ian (Ariyon Bakare) and teenaged daughter Maya (Sennia Nanua). Frankie’s on-set hairstylist Irene (Marisa Tomei) also happens to be vacationing in the same town with her boyfriend Gary (Greg Kinnear), a cinematographer who is looking to direct his first film.
Directed by Ira Sachs, taking a break from the New York settings that have defined many of his films, the story of Frankie unfolds over a single day as these various characters meander around the seaside town, having conversations as they encounter each other and often break off into pairs. There are a few too many storylines and characters to keep track of, and I honestly wasn’t expecting this many Star Wars references, which feel somewhat forced.
This is a more minor work from Sachs, that lacks the emotional impact of his superior works like Love is Strange and Little Men, but it’s still a frothy and often enjoyable comedic melodrama, that is carried by fine performances from Huppert and the rest of the splendid ensemble cast.
Marisa Tomei and Isabelle Huppert in Frankie
Wednesday, September 11th – 6:00 PM at Princess of Wales
Thursday, September 12th – 2:30 PM at Winter Garden Theatre
