Movie Review - Frankie & Alice

Frankie & Alice (2014)

Starring Halle Berry, Stellan Skarsgård, Phylicia Rashad, and Chandra Wilson

Directed by Geoffrey Sax

***This film is currently streaming on Netflix***

Originally shown at Cannes at 2010, but not released until August of 2014, Frankie & Alice is a failure on nearly all fronts.  I have to imagine that this was created and produced as a star vehicle for Halle Berry to earn herself another Oscar nomination (she did snag a Golden Globe nom back in 2010...I'm not sure how considering the film wasn't released in theaters until last year), but Berry's performance as a tortured woman with multiple personalities is mannered, over-the-top, and oftentimes laughable.  Quite frankly, I've never really been a fan of Berry as I find her acting very stilted and artificial and Frankie & Alice does nothing to change that despite a few moments here and there that show some promise.

Unfortunately, it's not just Berry that's a disappointment here.  Stellan Skarsgård as Frankie's psychiatrist is one-note, monotonously boring, and lacks any modicum of emotion.  Phylicia Rashad fares no better as Frankie's mother as she overly dramatizes every scene (obviously taking her cues from the Halle Berry School of Acting).  Based on a true story, Geoffrey Sax's film screams 1990s tv-movie-of-the-week in nearly every aspect and the helmer attempts to use his direction for dramatic effect multiple times, but his camera angles and movements only made this filmgoer chuckle.  Considering the eight (!) screenwriters for this film, one would've thought at least something would've gone right...and one would've thought wrong.

The RyMickey Rating:  D