Al Pacino and Michelle Pfeiffer light up the screen in this captivating romantic comedy. Johnny (Pacino) is head-over-heels crazy for Frankie. But after a series of hurtful relationships, the last thing Frankie's looking for is a new man until he comes looking for her.
Pacino is an outgoing ex-con who's hired as the new short-order cook. He's head-over-heels crazy for Frankie. But to Frankie, they're as different as scrambled and hard-boiled. What can he mean when he says, "We were a couple before we ever met"?
Directed by Gary Marshall (
Pretty Woman),
Frankie and Johnny is a "delightfully unique love story with a delightfully unique sense of fun" (David Sheehan,
KNBC-TV
Member Reviews
I've seen better - imagination201
I guess it was one of the successor of this movie because when that movie came out, I was too young to be interested in it. Hence, I might have gotten spoiled by other, more dynamic romance flics such as Kate and Leopold, which left me disappointed by that older movie that I had heard so much about...
My loss, sadly...the main character is Resistance - bartonfink
An interesting focus on the things which keep us from moving on with our lives, that hole us away with what we have become comfortable, and personfied in Frankie played by Michelle Phieffer. Johnny is the opposite, doesn't take no for an answer, continually trying to better himself, and sees Frankie as the love of his life, and keeps pounding away at her barriers. The film succeeds with it's originality but I felt it didn't do enough to capture why Johnny loved Frankie so much. He just seems to decide it when he spots her over the counter, and a song which frankly I'd never heard of. Worth checking out if you are into more realistic romance and these actors.The writer and director were both born in the 30s... - cathyottawa
...and it shows. This movie has an old school feel to it.
Typical of Gary Marshall (Pretty Woman, Beaches), this movie is overly sentimental, and anything but subtle. He likes to hit you over the head with his themes.
But, it's actually pretty enjoyable. It's based on a play, and that also shows in the smart dialogue. We get lots of fun banter between Pfeiffer and Pacino before, during, and after their romance.
I'm not sure what kind of accent Pfeiffer is trying to achieve, and it's a little distracting, but she is totally believable as a diner waitress, as is Pacino as an ex-con turned short-order cook.
All the scenes in the diner ring true. They got the atmosphere, and the day to day of restaurant work just right.
I have a feeling Pacino and Pfeiffer fell in love with their respective characters more than the screenplay, but all in all it's not bad.
I will say I'm not crazy about Pacino as a romantic lead - I don't find him all that sexy, but the romance is believable, and not overly saccarine. And they have a lot of fun with their characters.
Member Reviews
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I've seen better - imagination201
I guess it was one of the successor of this movie because when that movie came out, I was too young to be interested in it. Hence, I might have gotten spoiled by other, more dynamic romance flics such as Kate and Leopold, which left me disappointed by that ...the main character is Resistance - bartonfink
An interesting focus on the things which keep us from moving on with our lives, that hole us away with what we have become comfortable, and personfied in Frankie played by Michelle Phieffer. Johnny is the opposite, doesn't take no for an answer, continually ...The writer and director were both born in the 30s... - cathyottawa
...and it shows. This movie has an old school feel to it.
Typical of Gary Marshall (Pretty Woman, Beaches), this movie is overly sentimental, and anything but subtle. He likes to hit you over the head with his themes.
But, it's actually pretty ...