Frailty (2001)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Bill Paxton

Writer (WGA):

Brent Hanley (written by)

Release Date:

12 April 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

There are demons among us

Plot:

A man confesses to an FBI agent his family's story of how his religious fanatic father's visions lead to a series of murders to destroy supposed "demons."

Plot Keywords:

FBI | Demon | God | Flashback | Serial Killer

Awards:

3 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Bill Paxton	...	Dad Meiks
Matthew McConaughey	...	Fenton Meiks
Powers Boothe	...	FBI Agent Wesley Doyle
Matt O'Leary	...	Young Fenton
Jeremy Sumpter	...	Young Adam
Luke Askew	...	Sheriff Smalls
Levi Kreis	...	Fenton Meiks
Derk Cheetwood	...	Agent Griffin Hull
Missy Crider	...	Becky Meiks (as Melissa Crider)
Alan Davidson	...	Brad White
Cynthia Ettinger	...	Cynthia Harbridge
Vincent Chase	...	Edward March
Gwen McGee	...	Operator
Edmond Scott Ratliff	...	The Angel
Rebecca Tilney	...	Teacher

Also Known As:

Dämonisch (Germany)
Frailty - Nessuno è al sicuro (Italy)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence and some language.

Runtime:

100 min | Austria:96 min

Country:

USA | Germany | Italy

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Malaysia:18SG (uncut version) | Malaysia:U (cut version) | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Canada:14A | Finland:K-15 | France:-16 | Germany:18 | Italy:T | Japan:PG-12 | Netherlands:16 | Peru:18 | Portugal:M/18 | Singapore:NC-16 | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #38149) | Philippines:R-18

Filming Locations:

Huntington Library & Botanical Gardens - 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino, California, USA

Company:

David Kirschner Productions

Trivia:

The lengthy scene in the car with Matthew McConaughey and Powers Boothe was actually shot on a sound stage. Director of photography Bill Butler had crew members slighting shaking the car and moving lights and props to create the illusion that the car was moving through the night.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Dad's beer can sounds hollow and empty every time he sets it down.

Quotes:

Dad: Do you see what you made me do? You made me commit murder...
Young Fenton: I didn't make you do anything. You did! You're crazy!

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Anatomy of a Scene: Frailty" (????)

Soundtrack:

Ball & Chain

This is a must see! A haunting and thought provoking tale - with some excellent acting thrown in the mix!

I had to see this gem twice to really appreciate all of it. When a widowed father of two interrupts his two sons' sleep with a shocking revelation, they are torn between believing him and not. As the horrifying events of this tale unfold, we learn a lot about the father, about his two sons, and about their destinies. With shocking twist after shocking twist, this film never allows for a lull in the plot. Bill Paxton plays the father, but the most notable performances are that of his older son, Fenton, played by Matthew O'Leary and his younger son, Adam, played by Jeremy Sumpter. This is one of the best thrillers that I have seen in a while, and you will want to watch this a few times to appreciate every intricate aspect of the plot. I give this film a 9/10.