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Frankie and Johnny

Frankie and Johnny

Drama · Romance · Comedy · 1991

When Johnny is released from prison following a forgery charge, he quickly lands a job as a short-order cook at a New York diner. Following a brief fling with waitress Cora, he develops an attraction for Cora's friend and fellow waitress Frankie. While Frankie resists Johnny's charms initially, she eventually relents when her best friend, Tim, persuades her to give Johnny a chance.

Movie details

Frankie and Johnny

“You never choose love. Love chooses you.”

1991 Drama · Romance · Comedy 1h 58m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.8 / 10

Community rating

When Johnny is released from prison following a forgery charge, he quickly lands a job as a short-order cook at a New York diner. Following a brief fling with waitress Cora, he develops an attraction for Cora's friend and fellow waitress Frankie. While Frankie resists Johnny's charms initially, she eventually relents when her best friend, Tim, persuades her to give Johnny a chance.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Frankie and Johnny?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Garry Marshall

Written by

Terrence McNally

Al Pacino

Al Pacino

Johnny

Michelle Pfeiffer

Michelle Pfeiffer

Frankie

Héctor Elizondo

Héctor Elizondo

Nick

Nathan Lane

Nathan Lane

Tim

Jane Morris

Jane Morris

Nedda

Kate Nelligan

Kate Nelligan

Cora

Greg Lewis

Greg Lewis

Tino

Court is in session

Put Frankie and Johnny on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Sentimental Softie

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Cool Ironist

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.