Frankie & Alice

I did not realize that Frankie and Alice was a 2010 film until I looked it up at IMDb. Although, I did notice while viewing the film that Halle looked incredible and youthful as the lead character in the title role of Frankie. This is the second time that Ms. Berry has been on screen as an exotic dancer, she was less memorable in that short lived role in The Last Boyscout. Frankie Murdock (Halle Berry) comes across as someone who knows what she has to do to survive her circumstances how to pick a mark to get paid and even hands out vocational advice to coworkers. We find out however, through her erratic behavior it is revealed that she is not as well put together as she first seems. I knew from the trailer that the film dealt with multiple personality disorder or whatever is the current clinical name for split personalities, so the film The Three Faces of Eve came to mind as I attentively watched the story unfold. Through a series of flashbacks we see Frankie as a child and a young woman and eventually learn and understand the root of her mental illness as she undergoes treatment with Dr. Oz (Stellan Skarsgard). I would love to see Mr. Skarsgard step outside of his character, he has this Zoolander approach to acting, no matter what persona he is portraying it's always the same look. Ms. Berry on the other hand was on point she was emotionally engaging, showing a range that was both compelling and evoked compassion for what her character had endured. Her personality was splintered; her experiences caused her coping mechanisms into overdrive. Halle Berry proves that the title of 'Oscar winner' is well deserved. She played the role very convincingly with Oz and against the other key characters in the film her mother Edna (Phylicia Rashad) and her sister Maxine (Miranda Bailey oops, I mean Chandra Wilson). I enjoyed this story because it was interesting and not a new construct, it was nice to see the bad guy in the usual places, but to find a completely unexpected bad guy in this film was bittersweet. The first half hour or so became a bit annoying with all the jumping around, but not enough to reduce the entertainment value.

I find it hard to believe that this film could not find a distributor and stayed in a holding cell for four years. Multiple personality films have always done well (The Three Faces of Eve, Sybil) and have garnered the lead actresses in both an academy award. Halle Berry (Frankie) was outstanding in channeling the other personalities trapped inside her head. As with all split personality films there is always some tragic event that occurs in the early years of life that fosters personalities to protect the host. This film was set in the 1970s and I have to say the wardrobe and locations were pretty accurate (from what I can remember). I even found myself singing along with some of the music. The fact that a straight-jacket and hypnosis was going to be involved was a no-brainer. The constant flashbacks also did not come as a surprise, but I think that the way that Halle managed those scenes is what made them memorable. Stellan Skarsgard (Oz) is the physician who takes a personal interest in Frankie's case and is responsible for getting to the heart of the issues. Phylicia Rashad (Edna) and Chandra Wilson (Maxine) are Frankie's mother and sister who are either in denial or assisting in a cover-up, or both. It was refreshing to see a film that wasn't tethered with CGI. It's kind of rare these days. Do I think that this film could have been shown on Lifetime…., sure, but I'm glad that it wasn't. The reason why is because anytime you can get a film on the big screen that contains a decent amount of diversity of actors (that isn't about slavery or servitude) then I'm all for it (I'll get off my soapbox now). The story held my attention and there were no areas of lag time. Of course I was trying to figure out what caused the personality split from the beginning. I have to say that this one kept me guessing until the end. I think that knowing that this is a true story adds to the appeal of the film and I was thrilled that the film explained what happened to the actual people at the end. I asked a few people after the movie, what they thought of the film and they all pretty much said the same thing; they liked the film, but it wasn't what they were expecting. I concur.

Geoffrey Sax's 'Frankie and Alice' initially an to an extent follows a similar narrative structure to Nunnally Johnson's 'The Three Faces of Eve'. While the theme of dissociative identity disorder has played a key part in many movies like 'Sybil' (to name a few), I've always found it a fascinating theme. 'Frankie and Alice' isn't that different from the aforementioned films. I liked how Sax presents the 70s setting and how he captures the culture of that time period without going over the top. I also liked that this film does not merely focus on the patient but also on the therapist who's working hard to get to the root of Frankie's disorder. The best scenes are the interactions between her and Dr. Oz. Halle Berry makes a memorable comeback to films after a three year break. She is spellbinding in all three avatars and that too without having to rely on mimicry and makeup. Stellan Skarsgård is equally good in a subtle role. While 'Frankie and Alice' doesn't present anything new regarding dissociative identity disorder, it's still an interesting character study (albeit a slightly dramatized one) and makes for a good watch.

An exotic dancer named Frankie (Halle Berry) is admitted to a psychiatric ward after several strange and violent incidents. Under the care of Dr. "Oz" Oswald (Stellan Skarsgard), Frankie begins to uncover hidden aspects of herself.

FRANKIE & ALICE is an effective, engaging drama, reminiscent of movies like SYBIL or I NEVER PROMISED YOU A ROSE GARDEN. Ms. Berry is outstanding in her multiple role. She handles it with great depth and believability throughout...

A great film and great acting in both lead roles. Must say halle berry is simply great!!! give this a watch and be surprised!!! I have no idea why this never won any awards. Its nothing like the film Sybil, that everyone thinks about when it comes to MPD.