The past is heavy in King Frankie, Dermot Malone’s low budget feature debut that shows great potential as it delves into a life burdened by guilt, grief and regret. A cast of experienced Irish actors should give some local appeal to this polished, well acted character study, which could benefit from further festival exposure beyond its world premiere at Dublin.
Malone and his production company Banjoman make their first feature after extensive experience in commercials, King Frankie has two framing events that structure the film. In the present day, Peter Coonan’s Frankie Burke loyally observes the rituals around his father’s death; ten years earlier he throws an extravagant country hotel birthday party for his daughter’s eighth birthday. The contrast between these two periods drives the movie.
Frankie is a taxi driver who lives with his parents. Moments of calm come for him in a morning swim lit by the steel blue hues of dawn and the twinkle of lights on a distant industrial shoreline. He is a fragile figure prone to panic attacks but clearly wrestling with more than just immediate grief at losing his father. At home, a happy wedding photo and one from a faraway holiday form a shrine to vanished lives; muted colours and measured pacing suggest someone diminished by age.
The film picks up pace with colourful flashbacks that burst onto screen with new vigour, fluid camerawork captures an optimistic Frankie on the move. His wife Jenny (Olivia Caffrey), exasperated throughout, looks on as a bouncy castle inflates next to an already enormous birthday cake topped with sparklers, friends and family gather round while business contacts mingle among them including Fraser (Ruairi O’Connor), whom everyone hopes will finance this sure-thing deal during Ireland’s boom years. There are shades here too of David Mamet’s portrayal of desperation within cutthroat worlds where economic realities must eventually catch up, it seems only natural that Celtic Tiger success stories like Frankie are headed for a fall.
Malone provides a Shakespearean quality to Frankie’s life, which includes a destructive ambition, a thumb prick of blood as an omen of tragedy and the ghostly presence at a feast. Time seems to be broken through with quick-fire montages. There is also a mirroring effect when it comes down to it. Peter (Alan Mahon), who was Frankie’s childhood friend and showed up at his birthday party as an ominous figure, has his own son named Cathal (Rob Malone) attend Frankie’s funeral. Malone heightens emotions by using poetry and music; for example Aidan (Owen Roe), father of Franky recites ‘Tyger Tyger Burning Bright’ or when Franky alongside Peter performs together ’The Wild Rover’.
Malone works well with his actors, Coonan turns out to be very convincing in portraying the main character all flashing teeth, smoldering rage but this time around desperate instead humble due to ageism which made him count few blessings while being overwhelmed by guilt feelings for past deeds done in secrecy from everybody including closest relatives like parents, etc., especially mother whom he always treated badly because she never believed anything said by him since birth till death bed on her part wherefore realization dawned too late if only could turn back hands time so everything would become alright again but alas cannot change past events no matter how hard we try hence must live with them forevermore or face consequences of actions taken previously.
Some parts were predictable though and the climax scene during party felt forced as slow motion combined with soaring opera playing background could have been avoided altogether should have gone straight into next act without dragging behind expectation level already built up earlier enough during movie making process itself when necessary building blocks had been laid down properly beforehand thus allowing immediate shift towards desired outcome before fatigue sets in among audience members who had already spent long hours watching film up until this point where expectations were high but not met so easily anymore.
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