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"Tune
into this 'Frequency'"
by Scott Mantz
"Frequency"
Dennis Quaid, Jim Caviezel
Directed by Gregory Hoblit
As Bob Dylan
was always fond of saying, "Don't Look Back". If you really think
about it, what's the point? There's really nothing we can do to
change the past, so why even bother thinking about it. Still, let's
say you had the chance to go back in time and make some changes,
would you really want to do it? It's possible that one slight change
of events could have much more serious repercussions down the line.
That's what happens to Dennis Quaid and Jim Caviezel in "Frequency",
a heartwarming and suspenseful thriller that has just about everything
you could ask for in a Hollywood film--action, suspense, intelligence,
humor, and, of course, the inevitable happy ending.
It's 1999, and
John Sullivan (Jim Caviezel) is a down-on-his-luck cop in Queens,
New York. His wife has just left him, and he's having a hard time
dealing with the 30th anniversary of his firefighter father's death.
He starts fooling around with an old radio that he found in a closet,
and, thanks to some bizarre atmospheric conditions, he actually
finds himself talking to his father Frank (Dennis Quaid), who's
alive and well in 1969. It's the night before his death in a warehouse
fire, and John tells him to "go the other way". When Frank does
indeed go the other way, he ends up surviving the fire. The problem
is, now his mother isn't around. Somehow, by changing the past,
they've set into motion a chain of events that will now lead to
her death at the hands of a serial killer. They have to work together
to stop this from happening, and this old radio is all they have
between them to do it.
Think of "Frequency"
as "The Sixth Sense" meets "Field of Dreams", but with a little
bit of "Back to the Future" thrown in for good measure. Like "Sense",
the film takes a little while to get going, but pay close attention.
Much of what happens down the line owes a lot to the small details
that are set up during this time. It also gives you a chance to
really get to know the characters, so that by the time the action
really kicks in, you're rooting for them that much more.
The whole concept
of father and son working together in two different time frames
to solve a crime may seem rather ridiculous, and in some ways it
is. However, director Gregory Hoblit deserves a lot of credit for
keeping the film engaging and exciting, rather than sappy and schmaltzy.
He also keeps the suspense going so you don't ask too many questions
about the loopholes in the plot. The scene that sets the film's
premise is beautifully shot and intensely cut together. The bonding
experience between father and son is touching and pulls at the heartstrings,
but once the film really kicks in, it becomes more of a thriller.
Their teamwork to solve the crime is incredible when you consider
that they are never even in the same room together, much less the
same time.
Dennis Quaid
and Jim Caviezel both put in strong performances. Quaid is excellent
as the loving family man who puts in an honest day's work by saving
lives. He clearly loves his wife and family, and his connection
to his son, even as they are just talking through a radio, is touching.
Technically, they're now the same age, but that paternal relationship
still shines through. Caviezel is also impressive as the son who's
life is falling apart. Once the events of the film come to fruition,
he becomes a man on a mission, re-energized to save his family in
the past as well as the present.
You never know
what you've got until it's gone, and that rings particularly true
when it comes to family. We all tend to take advantage of the time
we have with our parents, and we always realize how lucky we are
to have them when it's too late. Other than being a high-concept
Hollywood film, "Frequency" also serves as a reminder to appreciate
what you have while it's still here. These moments may never come
again, so live for the moment. Stop reading this review. Go call
your father, and tell him that you love him.
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