Dear Frankie is a Scottish film whose thick accents were initially difficult to get through. Underneath the rough cover of language, however, is a film that is beautifully sweet and absolutely unforgettable.

Frankie (Jack McElhone) is a nearly deaf boy who has lost his father, but still believes he’s writing letters to him. His young mother, Lizzie (Emily Mortimer) has secretly been writing letters back to him, pretending she’s his father on a boat that’s far away at sea. A lot of time is spent on this setup, but it establishes the melancholic atmosphere that surrounds these characters.

One day Frankie discovers that his father’s boat is coming to shore, and Lizzie scrambles to find a man to pretend as if he’s Frankie’s father for a day. The man she finds (Gerard Butler) turns out to be much more than expected. What was intended to be a short trick ends up causing of string of events that brings healing to both Lizzie and Frankie in a wonderful way.

The film contributes to the story with a stark picture of Scotland that deepens out sympathies for these characters while all three primary actors deliver performances that further convince us of their struggles. Dear Frankie is slowly paced, but its subtle sweetness rivals Lost in Translation and its endearing relationships are comparable to About a Boy. Its multiple climaxing points are perhaps slightly manufactured, but the film certainly earns every bit of its warm, peaceful ending.

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