2000, 1 hr 55 min., Rated PG-13 for intense violence and disturbing images.�Dir: Gregory Hoblit. Cast: Dennis Quaid (Frank Sullivan), James Caviezel (John Sullivan), Elizabeth Mitchell (Julia Sullivan), Andre Braugher (Satch), Noah Emmerich (Gordo), Shawn Doyle (Jack Shepard).

I'm always psyched by sci-fi (most notably used in "Star Trek") that dares to ask if there's a way to reach through time and affect the world. Just as Homer Simpson can stop on a bug 100 million years ago, causing it to rain donuts, what little things do we do everyday that have enormous reprecussions for the future?

Frequency extends the science-fiction "what if" scenario into an emotional story by making it a father-son dynamic that dares any male not to be touched by the male bonding on screen, which naturally translates into thoughts of our fathers and/or sons.

SYNOPSIS: James Caviezel plays a man who contacts his father (Dennis Quaid) on a radio living thirty years in the past and attempts to alter the present by changing events in 1969. Yes, you have to make a reach for the supernatural aspect to the story, but just as you do in almost every other film, you will here as well.

The fact that the plot involves the "Amazing" Mets and the 1969 World Series is disappointing (I hate New York sports teams), but I'll let it slide this time. The characters live in Queens, so it's just unavoidable. However, I'm still waiting for the movie that deals with the '95 champion Braves. I know, it'll take some time.

When the plot revolves, Frequency is a tense thriller and interesting tale. But when director Gregory Hoblit (Fallen, Primal Fear> tugs at the heartstrings, he may push too far. Going in, I was expecting a tearjerker. The only jerking was from the critics who don't mention that it was so sappy. Now, I may just be without a soul, but audience members around me had dry eyes as well. It was a nice tale, yes, but not as emotional as advertised. And the music was too melodramatic, trying to hard to make it a three-hankie flick.

As with the sap, in the beginning the filmmakers beat the audience over the head by trying to explain the science of the solar flares and the northern lights extending as far south as New York City, that somehow allows John to talk with his father 30 years in the past. Come on guys, trust the moviegoers to make the stretch for you. Even Star Trek never explains half of the gobbledy-gook technology terms in its television shows and films.

Despite these qualms, I still enjoyed Frequency. Its positives far outweigh the negatives, especially the very likeable Sullivan family.

Dennis Quaid is a hostshot fireman who is supposed to die in a fire in 1969, but survives due to his talks with his son thirty years in the future (no spoiler warning, it is in the trailer). But now that he's alive history changes, not always for the best. It has to blow the mind knowing that you may be the one to cause the exact crime you're trying to prevent. Ah, strange twists to the physics of the situation. Can you change history? Is it all fate or free will?

I loved the sequence where Quaid lives instead of dying in the fire, as John sees all these new memories of a life he never knew before, simultaneous with the memories he has of the life he had when his father died. Wow! That's gotta cause an overload to the brain.

The aformentioned Caviezel is son John Sullivan, a New York detective who can't seem to figure out life. In his mid-30s, he is dumped by girlfriend Samantha and would rather brood than play baseball. Caviezel is not bad, and will likely be thrown scripts in some big films due to this role.

I fell for Elizabeth Mitchell, playing Caviezel's mother, Julia. I recognized her immediately, but only after the film did I realize that Mitchell played Angelina Jolie's lover - and a blonde - in "Gia". She is extremely cute, and now that I think about it, she kinda looks like a real-life version of the mother from the comic strip "Baby Blues."

One of my favorite actors, Andre Braugher (due in most part to his performance in the cancelled series "Homicide: Life on the Street"), brings up the level of talent in the cast just by his mere presence. Not to mention he has this wide smile that gives you confidence in yourself, merely because of his confidence in himself. You know that he's always on top of things.

Do I recommend Frequency? Most certainly. It is thrilling and has feeling, and for those with a soul you may even be caught up in the emotion.