- Release year: 2024
- Director: Steven Kostanski.
- Producers: Steven Kostanski, Melanie Murray, and Pasha Patriki.
- Screenplay by: Steven Kostanski.
- Cinematography by: Pierce Derks.
- Music by: Blitz//Berlin.
Synopsis: a man with issues letting loose calls a puppet talk service, announced as the ultimate experience to spice up your life.
Shotgun Commentary: the most wholesome way you can make an unhinged film.
Review
Frankie Freako is one of those films that combine adorable and insane into a wonderful blend that leaves you wondering what the hell you just watched and why did you have so much fun with it. Think Small Soldiers (1998) or the first time you saw a live-action Scooby-Doo. It is that kind of deranged humour with a tacky edge that you either love or hate.
A wild ride
In fact, the initial credits have the live-action Scooby-Doo quality to them that already promise great things to come. Straight after, you are introduced to Conor (Conor Sweeney). He is a white-collar guy who has the curse (or blessing) to be as bland as they come. The type of man that would make plain porridge sound like an adventure by comparison. Even the other white collars think he’s boring, and he seems stuck in denial. That is, until he sees the Frankie Freako advertisements and eventually decides to call to see if Frankie Freako could really zest up his life.
The introduction of the protagonist already shows signs of mad comedy and hints at a good time, with both visual and textual jokes twisting reality and leaning on the absurd to keep you on your toes and your eyes glued to the screen. Mind you, that is even before the actual “freakos” arrive. “What are the freakos?”, you might be wondering. Well, simply put, they are party aliens. In particular, a trio of party aliens turned refugees as a result of an evil corporate dictator that forbids fun in their home planet… or something like that. Just don’t dwell too much on it.
Once Conor calls the freako number, the juice is loose. He has the party night of his life… of which he remembers nothing, leaving him set for a nasty surprise the next morning, when he finds his home trashed, and the three freakos still causing trouble.
Think Gremlins (1984) without a Gizmo, which is actually better if you happen to suffer a lot when the little critter got bullied by the others. Yes, speaking from personal experience. In comparison, seeing Conor being bullied by the aliens is emotionally less taxing and definitely a lot more amusing.
All the right elements
If you are a fan of the comedy genre, you’ll find endless references and probably be reminded of tons of films, from Home Alone (1990) to Krazy House (2024), and of course the puppet-led masterpiece Team America: World Peace (2004). Not to mention their parody of clichéd sequences in cinema like the erotic “wife at home getting ready to greet her husband” situation, or the popular “house makeover” montage. Frankie Freako is as self-aware as it is aware of all the comedy that came before it, managing to create a brand-new product full of influences but completely unique in substance.
Naturally, a film like this needs special effects up to its standards, the 80s looking time travel being the best of all. The visual effects are just good enough to make the film enjoyable, and bad enough to also make it sidesplitting. A craftsmanship that reflects that overall tone of the movie beautifully.
All in all, Frankie Freako is a demented comedy that will keep you entertain for the whole duration of the experience and leave you in a great mood. If you like comedies and can enjoy the beauty of imperfections, do give this feature a whirl.
Frankie Freako is now available to stream or download in the UK & Ireland via the Apple Store, Amazon, Sky Store and YouTube Movies and can be ordered HERE.
Advice to take from this movie:
- Don’t call numbers you aren’t ready for.
- Sometimes you need to break something to build something… but don’t if you can avoid it.
- You cannot fix a whole house in two hours, no matter how much help you get. Don’t let Hollywood fool you.
What’s your take? Have you watched Frankie Freako? Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message in my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀