frequency n . , 
the number of times a specified phenomenon occurs within a specified interval as the number of repetitions of a complete sequence of values of a periodic function per unit variation of an independent variable ? etc 
don't worry . 
when watching the thriller frequency , you won't have to know what the heck frequency means . 
the premise , although it may sound complex , is very basic on the big screen . 
a new york cop , john , ( jim caviezel ) finds a radio in his house , which allows him to communicate with his new york firefighter father , frank , ( dennis quaid ) who died thirty years ago . 
immediately john warns his father that he will die trying to stop a fire in an abandoned warehouse . 
when frank takes his advice and survives the accident he wasn't supposed to , the two eventually realize that by changing that one moment in the past , they have created a whole new future in which a serial killer murders john's mother and nine other women . 
it is now up to john and frank to use their special connection and save thirty years ago to make present time a better place . 
 ( i told you that wasn't confusing ? ) . 
overall , i was very pleased with frequency . 
it's occasional sappy moments perfectly synchronized with its suspenseful serial killer scenes . 
i usually don't buy those cheesy " i love you dad " segments in movies , but this one surprisingly satisfied me . 
maybe because the plot is so creative and universal that i believed that this is how most people would act when talking to a dead relative . 
frequency's creepy premise left me thinking once the film ended , what if ? 
what would i do ? 
would i help my own family or save a historical figure from being assasinated ? 
or stop some kids from shooting other kids ? 
or buy stock from yahoo ! ? 
 ( a character in the film does the latter with humorous consequences ) . 
frequency also reminded me of the fantastic back to the future . 
both share that " change the past slightly , and you'll change the future heavily " warning . 
the changes between the present and the past , such as different newspaper headlines or people disappearing and reappearing in photographs , are very similar . 
both are also wonderful feel-good family films that can attract to a number of generations . 
the only difference worth noting is that frequency's final scene doesn't set up a possibility for a lucrative sequel already in the making . 
there are some problems with the film though . 
first , there is a major flaw in the story towards the end that is somewhat distracting ( email me if you have seen the movie and want to know what i think it is ) . 
the plot must have confused even the filmmakers who frequently ( no pun intended ) switch from 1969 to 1999 while telling the story . 
another problem is that the supporting cast , including noah emmerich and andre braugher , are underused . 
while in the film , which is not enough , the aforementioned actors steal every scene they are in . 
frequency was a pleasant surprise for me and the audience i saw it with who cheered at the end . 
even if you know what is going to happen or if you think the preview ruined the movie for you , like it almost did for me , check this movie out . 
you may be surprised as well .