Review of The Frame (2014) by Jeff B — 21 Feb 2016

More problems than solutions, but at the same time the originality gives the Frame an edge. The film lacks in character development often leaving the viewer left with only a surreal narrative. Alex and Sam have troubled pasts which they find out via a connection that only occurs when they turn on their televisions. There's something afoot here, but it's never made clear exactly what's going on. Are we in alternate dimensions or a world collapsed in on itself by the all-knowing writer, allegedly the devil himself. What exactly the point of all that Alex and Sam go through is only hinted at and purpose simply has to come about via best guess by the viewer.

Both are seen by the other as stars in television shows, while each lives his / her life sans any cameras or script. They apparently are living their lives making choices but each sees the other as actors on a weekly show of which they've been viewing each other for three seasons.

Later in the film Alex sees an odd sight, a strange man in top hat pouring ink on things, in the first occurrence over a car. The film is written and directed by Jamin Winanas, writer and director of Ink. But if you've never seen Ink, as I have not, there are probably more questions than answers.

At the conclusion, Sam finds herself in a building in which she sees a typewriter writing out Alex's script, or life. She discovers that she can come to his aid (bring him to life after a gun shot, stop bullets, etc.) by merely changing the story with a pen. She eventually burns the script and all in Alex's life disappears, at least all life, other than his own (why is he left while everyone else disappears? Who knows?). After doing so, Sam jumps out of her car and appears to get hit by an oncoming vehicle. Alex views this over the television and returns to his home. He can be seen driving a bike about the empty city but eventually returns to his home to discover that he's not allowed free to roam as he's being blocked by our evil (?), mysterious writer, for some unknown reason. Eventually he is released and is found on his knees at the scene of Sam's alleged death with violin in hand. This occurs just after he revisits the execution of his parents at the hands of the paramilitary in Latin America.

Finally, we witness Sam at the scene of her death. But she does not die. Rather the car that the viewer assumed had hit her miraculously flies past her, after which she walks over to Alex and is finally with him for the first time.

What does all this mean? Are they learning some great lesson here? Are they merely being tortured by the evil one? What is this world? Is it real? Is it an alternate universe? A hologram instruction centre? Were they living most to their lives in the real world and then later transferred when the alleged shows began? So many questions, so few answers. As I said, interesting but too much confusion for the film to be of great meaning to the viewer. In addition to the laborious narrative build up, there's just too much ill afoot here for one to find considerable satisfaction in viewing.