Tribeca Film review: Richard Gere gives and gives as ‘Franny’

FRANNY_press_1 TribecaFranny – tickets still available!

As someone who loves to give, I am aware there are boundaries of that giving that can make people feel uncomfortable. Although his heart is in the right place, Franny gladly crosses those boundaries. While there are several moments that hit an emotional nerve, it wasn’t enough to make up for the uneven story.

FRANNY_Press_3 Tribeca

Richard Gere stars as Franny, a wealthy philanthropist who has become addicted to morphine after a tragic accident involving his best friends. He’s been very reclusive until their daughter, Olivia (Dakota Fanning) comes back into his life. Franny showers her and her new husband with everything they could ever want.

The movie has many themes and is unable to execute any of them fully. It shifts from being about family, to a story of addiction to what it means to give too much. Franny is clearly troubled from his past yet we’re only given a glimpse into any of it.

FRANNY_Press_2 TribecaA missed opportunity was to really show how someone with so much wealth and resources can have their addiction overlooked. There were hints, but it inevitably failed. While Richard Gere delivers a powerful performance, it loses something by the lack of solid supporting cast storylines. It was ultimately predictable and flat.