Frankie Freako (2024)

March 19, 2025 9:45 AM

[TRAILER] Boring normie yuppie Conor is in a rut until one night he catches a bizarre ad for a party hotline hosted by a strange dancing goblin: Frankie Freako. Could this be just the recipe to spice up his humdrum life? The writer/director of Psycho Goreman delivers a throwback to 80's PG puppet horror comedy schlock like Ghoulies or The Garbage Pail Kids Movie.

Starring Conor Sweeney, Matthew Kennedy, Kristy Wordsworth, Adam Brooks.

Written, directed, and edited by Steven Kostanski. Produced by Steven Kostanski, Melanie Murray, Pasha Patriki. Cinematography by Pierce Derks. Music by Blitz//Berlin.

87% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.

Find streaming options on JustWatch.

posted by DirtyOldTown (6 comments total)

There are going to be Gen X weirdos out there who pump their fists and cheer at a weird little goblin puppet dressed like a late 80's punk trashing a nerd's living room while yelling "PAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRTAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYY!" but I was not one of them.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 9:47 AM on March 19

This is by the Psycho Goreman team, but that film was much funnier. Although it is also based around the embrace of a bygone children's entertainment aesthetic (in that case, Power Rangers-like monsters), that film is incongruously gory, horny, and gay in a way that gives it a spark Frankie Freako is missing, at least to my eyes.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 2:39 PM on March 19

Wait -- this is really rated G??? Okay, I am kind of intrigued, lol. I loved Psycho Goreman so much, but I remember even while watching it thinking that a version actually aimed at children would probably make a billion dollars. But this doesn't sound like it's for kids, so...?
posted by kittens for breakfast at 4:40 PM on March 19

I don't think it actually has a proper rating. It wasn't listed on the MPAA's site. Its about the equivalent of PG-13. Maybe PG.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 5:06 PM on March 19 [1 favorite]

Wait -- this is really rated G???

It's basically an 80's PG. Surprisingly tame for a Kostanski joint, if I recall. Not much violence (although plenty of threatening of such, and some blood) and I don't even think there's any swearing.

I enjoyed this but not nearly as much as Psycho Goreman. But that's a high bar to clear.
posted by neckro23 at 11:47 AM on March 21

I saw this in theatre and had a good enough time, but it’s no Psycho Goreman, a movie I loved and tell everyone to see. The puppets are great and I liked the shitty boss character, but yeah it just didn’t hit as much for me.
posted by rodlymight at 2:43 PM on March 22