Film Overview"The Last Days of Frankie the Fly" is a 1996 crime drama film directed by Peter Markle. The movie stars Dennis Hopper as Frankie, an errand young boy for a petty gangster, with a star-studded cast including Kiefer Sutherland, Daryl Hannah, and Michael Madsen. The film uses a gritty, bittersweet portrait of a male caught deep in the dark harbors of the Los Angeles underworld, who tries to break devoid of the crime-ridden life he's been thrust into.
Plot SummaryThe script unfolds the tragicomic story of Frankie (Hopper), who despite his loyalty to his gangster manager Sal (Madsen), is dealt with as absolutely nothing more than a worthless fly. Sal uses and abuses Frankie, sending him on the most affordable errands while keeping him around for his amusement. Frankie, fed up with his miserable life, imagine a better future, free from criminal offense and the mob mechanics.
Whilst acting as Sal's gopher, Frankie fulfills Margaret (Hannah), a delicate and delicate stripper with an appealing script about a sexually abused woman looking for revenge. At the same time, he befriends the unstable Joey (Sutherland), an ambitious hustler and aiming director tied to Sal. Picking up an opportunity for an escape, Frankie decides to produce Margaret's script with indirect assistance from Joey.
Main ConflictThe dispute takes place when Sal discovers that Frankie has been using his cash covertly to create this movie. Sal, who had actually been sleeping with Margaret, becomes livid by this betrayal. He takes out his rage on Margaret, brutally beating her, leaving her disfigured. This act pushes Frankie over the edge and he promises to avenge Margaret.
Climax and ResolutionFrankie creates a fancy plan to outsmart Sal utilizing his knowledge of horse racing, a location Sal is dangerously invested in, to his advantage. Framing Sal for the murder of Joey and arranging an FBI raid, Frankie skillfully controls the scenario. The climax of the film sees Sal falling under Frankie's trap, the chaos causing him being killed unintentionally.
At the same time, Joey dies, believing he nailed his performance in front of what he thinks are TV cams, not realizing he belonged to Frankie's scheme to stop Sal. In the end, Frankie achieves his flexibility from the criminal underworld. Though it comes at a high expense when he recognizes the effect of his actions on his good friends, specifically Margaret.
Conclusion"The Last Days of Frankie the Fly" provides a compelling story of commitment, betrayal, and redemption, and powers through the darkness of its theme using low-key humor. The film, while checking out the plights of characters aimlessly routed in the guilty world of criminal activity, highlights Frankie's transformation from a mob pawn to a private asserting control over his life. The efficiencies, especially those of Hopper, Sutherland, and Madsen, are commendable, embodying the tragic yet engaging experience of characters looking for hope in a bleak reality. Despite its somber plot, the film upholds the value of resilience and redemption, making it an interesting watch.
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