Franklyn
Reviewed by Melissa Garza
“Life is too much of an adventure as it is, without making anything else up!” – Sally (Eva Green)
I picked this film up simply because it seemed different than everything else I’ve seen, and for the most part it was. It takes place in Meanwhile City where one has to be a religious. It’s the law and in London where pretty much things are as they are today.
Nearly each actor portrays two distinct characters – one in Meanwhile City and another in London. One must pay close attention while watching as where the characters are and what is real vs imaginary can be confusing if you turn away for even a moment.
In Meanwhile City, Preest (Ryan Phillipe) is unable to conform to the demands as he dislikes being controlled. He has become a masked vigilante where he fights the over-zealous and insane. He finds out one has murdered a little girl and is ready to kill the man who did it. He blames himself for the little girl who died as he was sworn to protect her. He’s taken in by a religious man and told he can obtain his freedom and is able to redeem himself by killing his enemy.
In London, religion is unnecessary. Though not a complete atheistic community, it seems to allow free thought. In the midst of religious fervor seen throughout the film, a little and sometimes needed sanity can be found.
Emilia (Eva Green) a disturbed young artist who attempts suicide is brought to a hospital. She attends therapy with her mother Margaret (Susannah York) but they struggle to reconnect but both parties bicker too much for that to happen. Soon, the revelation occurs that Emilia remembers abuse perpetrated by her father. Now, to recover, she simply wants answers and to know that her mother remembers too. When her mother acknowledges that, she is able to find that emotional bond.
Green second character is Sally. Sally was a childhood friend of Milo (Sam Riley) who is recovering from a sad point in his life as his future wife left him at the altar. He searches for Sally and finds her teaching at an elementary school. The two connect and seem to have a romantic link. Later, he is told that Sally was an imaginary friend that didn’t exist.
Peter (Bernard Hill) is suffering as he lost his daughter and is desperately trying to save his son from sanity. His son lied his way out of an asylum and now Peter attempts to help him.
This is a sci-fi fantasy and it’s beautifully done. Part The Million Dollar Hotel, part Donny Darko, with a splash of V for Vendetta – the movie borrows from great productions yet makes it its own original piece. It is a film that at times tries to be very deep and avoids getting lost in the trivial.
There’s an unexpected ending which does refreshingly surprise the viewer. It’s a deep movie that stays away from pretention, but does tend to get too profound while the plot can’t keep up with the declarations of Preest. They’re great soliloquies just sometimes misplaced. That said, the dialogue itself is at times brilliant. It sounds like something that easily could be found in the highly revered and wonderful works of a Herman Hesse or George Orwell.
The acting was great although Phillipe when Preest, seemed to be talking like Christian Bale’s Batman for some reason. Otherwise, everyone including Phillipe brought their a-Game.
Franklyn is definitely worth the watch. Just know it is clearly something you need to pay attention to intently and even then you may feel like you’ve missed something or two. One must suspend disbelief and live in an imaginary place where segments of reality are thrown in to both complicate and simplify an incredible dual world that haven’t a choice but to collide at the conclusion.
Scared Stiff Reviews 7/10
