The Frame

I wanted to love this movie so much. I mean, I already love Maggie Gyllenhaal to death. Really, though, it’s not that great. It’s all right. Sherry is a single mom who just got out of prison (something drug-related) and is trying to reconnect with her young daughter (maybe five or six), a task made very difficult by her brother and sister-in-law, who have been keeping the child and are now a little wary about Sherry’s ability to care for the little girl. It’s difficult to know who to root for most of the time; Sherry desperately wants to do right by her daughter, is terrified of losing her, and certainly tries her best. But, well, her best isn’t all that good much of the time. She backslides and falters, and honestly isn’t that pleasant of a person. At the same time, her sister-in-law is basically poisoning her child’s mind against her, which also isn’t that great. By the end, though there isn’t a really a resolution, at least all parties have shown both good and bad sides–it’s not a film that sugarcoats anything, and I appreciate its honesty on that front, but there’s not a whole lot to actively like about it. Except Gyllenhaal, who is utterly fearless.
Above Average