Frequency (2000)
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A detective discovers he can communicate with his father in the past via a broken radio, leading to a dangerous struggle to alter history.
The story
In 1999, NYPD detective John Sullivan struggles with the emotional weight of his father Frank's death in 1969. When an atmospheric phenomenon allows John to communicate with Frank through a broken radio, he manages to warn his father of his impending death. However, changing the past creates unintended consequences, including the emergence of a serial murderer known as 'the Nightingale.' John and Frank must work together across time to prevent further tragedies and stop the killer, while navigating the complex ripples of their interference with history.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1969, firefighter Frank Sullivan dies on duty, leaving behind his wife Julia and son John. In 1999, John, now an NYPD detective, discovers he can communicate with Frank via a broken radio. He warns Frank of his death, but the change causes Julia to save a serial killer, 'the Nightingale,' who then kills more people, including Julia. John shares the killer's history with Frank, who tries to save victims in 1969. The killer, revealed as NYPD detective Jack Shepard, steals Frank's license and plants it on a victim. Frank passes physical evidence to 1999 to help John. Frank is arrested by Satch DeLeon but proves his truth by predicting the 1969 World Series. Frank eventually breaks into Shepard's apartment, where Shepard attacks him and falls into a river. History shifts again; a living Frank in 1999 rescues John from Shepard, killing him and resolving both timelines. The film ends with John happily married, living with his parents.
- First release year
- 2000
- Runtime (minutes)
- 118
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Gregory Hoblit
- Writers
- Toby Emmerich · writer
- Cast and characters
- Dennis Quaid · Frank Sullivan; Jim Caviezel · Jack Shepard; Andre Braugher · Satch DeLeon; Elizabeth Mitchell · Julia; Noah Emmerich · John; Shawn Doyle · the Nightingale; Melissa Errico; Daniel Henson · John (in 1969)
- Genres
- science fiction; thriller
- Themes
- Time Travel; Father-Son Relationships; Fate vs. Free Will; Consequences of Action
- Tone and mood
- Suspenseful; Atmospheric; Dramatic
- Premise and plot tags
- Time Loop; Science Fiction; Police Procedural; Serial Killer; Supernatural
- Reception
- The film received generally positive reviews, with a 70% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 67/100 score on Metacritic. It was praised for its suspense and the bond between the leads, though some critics found the climax contrived or the serial killer subplot familiar.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 70% · review count: 125; CinemaScore · score: A- · scale: A+ to F
- Awards and nominations
- Hugo Award · Best Dramatic Presentation · Nominated
- Production trivia
- Sylvester Stallone was rumored to play Frank Sullivan in 1997 but dropped out over a fee dispute.; The film was mostly shot in Toronto with some location shooting in New York City.; The American Radio Relay League assisted with some of the technical aspects of the film.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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