Frequency (2000)

Plenty to Like, Plenty to Dislike

Don't Believe the Hype

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

Plot; During an atmospheric anomaly, a man finds that he is able to communicate w/his Father 30 years in the past via a ham radio.Like so many movies that deal w/altering the past, there are a host of logical faults and a truckload of bad science here, but I'm a forgiving sort of they're in the service of a compelling story, and for the most part that's true here. There's a domino effect to a decision that one of our characters makes that sends the story into a reasonably compelling, tense, if not quite taut, thriller direction. But what holds it together is the relationship and the performances of the two leads (Dennis Quaid and Jim Caviezel). Despite their interactions coming across the ages, theirs is a bond that feels real, and as a result I cared, even when the flaws in the story might have otherwise made me not.

The story really nicely combines two distanced elements of contemporary movie. It has a very focused family element, especially in the form of fatherhood. The time travel element is also really nice. It has no real time travel since the the difference is only crossed by the radio chat between the characters. The movie treats the time travel element by keeping its mystery at the beginning but then take the focus away from the time travel mystery after the first history change with Frank not dying. Since then it's all about the fatherhood. The acting overall is quite good. Dennis Quaid played the father quite well that he expresses the right emotions on his scenes. Jim Caviezel played also quite well in expressing all those memory change.

Frequency is one of the most unique stories ever told. A young cop whose life is falling apart starts to talk on his father's old ham radio. His father has been dead for 30 years. When John Sullivan starts talking on the radio during a unique solar storm he actually speaks to his dad. together they change the course of their lives John by saving Frank's life during a fire. But in doing so they change history. John's mother is murdered. and Together Father and Son must find a way to prevent this. and bring the killer to justice. Not your typical Sci-Fi movie It is however a movie with heart. and as a result because of it and o f the original story. It stays with you. Even now more then 14 years later I still watch this movie fondly. Cherishing it. The characters are not cardboard cut outs they act like real people. In a weird situation. It's set against the back beat of the 69 world series and the miracle mets. Baseball is important in this movie and there is more then one reason for it. I love time travel stories but this is so much more then that. The Premise is heart tugging. If you could speak to a dead loved one for three days and knowing you can change the future what would you say to them? Would you try to save them? What could you do in this situation ? This movie is a classic of the highest order.

Frequency shares something with 'Field of Dreams'. It is sentimental but it asks you to check logic at the door. The latter film was infinitely better but I had a good time watching 'Frequency'.In 1969, Fireman Frank Sullivan is killed when he can't get out of a warehouse after rescuing a runaway girl. 30 years later in 1999 his son John is digging through a closet and finds dad's old ham radio. Playing around with it he suddenly hears a voice and at first doesn't realize that it is his father sitting there in 1969, actually the day before his death.Well, it's no big surprise to say that John gives his father information that will save his life. But that's just the beginning. A killer walks the streets and through a series of events that would not have happened if Frank had been killed, John's mother ends up the killer's next victim.This leads to a long series of developments in which John in 1999 tries to help Frank in 1969 repair the damage that they have done. Most movies would be happy to deal with just saving Frank from the accident. But Frequency comes up with all kinds of nice details. The ending reminded me of 'Back to the Future' in which a person helps their parents across time to not only change their future but improve it as well. The logic in the space time continuum has gaps big enough drive a firetruck through but that's doesn't matter. Time travel movies are never exact in their science.I smiled a good bit during this movie. The story is completely unbelievable (that much is obvious) but I appreciated it's determination to keep coming up with new twists. This was a movie that really tried to be inventive and I felt like I got my money's worth.