Dear Frankie

One of my favorite, multiple-viewings films is "Dear Frankie." This is a Scottish film about a deaf boy being raised by his single mother, played by Emily Mortimer ("Match Point" and "Two Brothers and a Bride") and his chain-smoking grandmother. They are constantly on the move (from his abusive father, as it turns out) but he doesn't know why.

Our little hero blithely writes letters to his absent father who he has been led to believe works on a ship which travels from port to port. The boy tracks the ship from information he receives in the mail; he has a world map which he keeps on his bedroom wall. Trouble is, even though the seaman father is fictitious, it turns out the ship is real and it is coming to their port!

The mother has been intercepting the boy's letters and responding to them for years. Now, she has to scramble! She's got to find someone to pretend to be his father for a day. Enter The Stranger, played by Gerard Butler ("Timeline" and "Lara Croft") in his first featured role. Do you think you can figure out where this is going?

I don't care. This is a lovely film and I am glad I own it.

Per Maltin, "Warm but never mawkish" and he gives it three stars.