The Last Days of Frankie the Fly

Contrary to what others have posted I quite liked this film. I felt there were some cute twists, turns and surprise moments that made me keep watching. Dennis Hopper had a great part but I felt Kiefer Sutherland's role didn't grow at all. I thought the surprise ending worked well. I rate it much higher that the current films (Sep00) I am seeing at the moment.

I rented this after finding out that it was written by Dayton Callie, who plays Charlie Utter, my favorite character in David Milch's superb HBO series Deadwood. I wasn't sure what to expect, since I had never heard of the film...and after the first 10 minutes I thought I was going to hate it. It started out rather slowly and the dialog seemed a little stiff. However, I stuck with it and was glad I did! The story is really kind of sweet and well-written.

Dennis Hopper plays bullied mob flunky, Frankie, who is nicknamed "The Fly" because, as hit-man Vic (played by Dayton Callie) teases, "Flys eat sh*t!" And it appears likely that Frankie would do just that if told to do so by local wise-guy boss Sal (Madsen) -- Sal is a sadistic madman who keep his enemies' severed testicles in mason jars. Frankie seems to be almost happy with his sheepish role, until he falls for a porn actress and reformed junkie, Margaret (Darryl Hannah) and his life changes forever.

So, rent this sweet and quirky film and see for yourself what happens as Frankie seeks to change his "fly" image for the girl he loves.

This is a little off-beat gem as it deals with all of the dark issues about the mob but never in a heart attack manner. It is a comedy & to my mind better written that a lot of them. A good cast plus a good plot equals a better than you think movie. Dennis Hopper delivers one of his most effective performances in this made for video film. This isn't the Godfather or Thief. It is the Godfather on gas. A funny quirky story, with a bit of heart in it. Think of a more serious 8 Heads in a Duffle Bag. So it's not exactly noir per se, but on the other hand it's decent. Hopper falls in love with Hannah, who's a lot more intelligent than the typical porn actress, constantly berated by Sutherland, who's a gambling addict, in hock to Sal (Madsen) to the tune of more than 100 G's. Hopper agrees to place some bets for Sutherland at the track provided that Hopper can write and direct a film for Hannah. Sal complicates things by being brutal and nasty, ably abetted by his henchman Vic, played by Damon Callie, who also wrote the script. OK, sure, this is not a cinematic masterpiece. The most fun is watching the four leads do their thing; especially in the early part of the film, Sutherland is hilarious with his rapid fire sarcastic jabs.

The performances are what saves the film. Madsen actually acts rather than rely on tough guy bravado, Sutherland overacts shamelessly but is still entertaining, Hannah makes Margaret sympathetic and she looks great dolled up as Bettie Page. This is Hopper's movie though and he's excellent. For years he's made crap films that demand nothing more of him than to redo his crazy 'Blue Velvet' performance but here he plays it scared and sensitive. It's a very impressive performance. A must see for Hopper fans and worth a look for fans of Hannah, Madsen, or Sutherland.

Overall rating: 7 out of 10.

There are a lot of good things, and some bad things about this film. Let's look at the good things first: Dennis Hopper can do anything and was a great actor. He carries this off as well as anyone else cast in this role could have. Hannah is very good and convincing as a hooker; she seemed to really enjoy her role, which is important for an actor to do. Madsen is very good as well, as is the supporting cast. The story of a lifetime loser turning into a sharpie at the end really stretches real street life credibility, but then again, so did Tarrentino, and if he could do it, why not a legitimate entertainer like Hopper? I knew a guy just like this in Union City who was a bookie. He is deceased now, but he let lots of guys off the hook because he was a bit of a softie. Frankie is a guy like that. I enjoyed the film, and I am kind of picky about gangster flicks. They have to be different to keep my interest (like The Departed, and Goodfellas). This film is not as good as those, but it is better than most of the crap passing for street films these days.

Casually violent "crime comedy" about a verbally abused small-time "errand man" who decides he can't take it anymore, and plots an elaborate revenge against his boss, a sadistic gangster. Michael Madsen does what he does best (looking cool and being baaaaad) and Kiefer Sutherland is amusing as a desperate porn director, but Dennis Hopper is fatally miscast as the criminal with a heart of gold: hey, casting director, Hopper never begs for respect - he demands it, and makes life miserable for anyone who doesn't play along. The film is not without its moments, but the story (low-lifes looking to "get out" and "start over") is one big cliche from start to finish. (**)