Frankie & Alice

Frankie & Alice feels like a film that might have been groundbreaking 40 years ago but has cable-TV movie of the week written all over it in 2014.

Berry has proven she's willing to take on enormous challenges, and she certainly exceeds her grasp here. Perhaps that's why Frankie & Alice plays more like an elaborate acting workshop than a movie.

While all this channel-switching and inevitable unearthing of psychic demons generates a great awards-season clip, it doesn't necessarily lead to a satisfying drama.

Frankie and Alice is a buffet of character study for Ms. Berry to sink her teeth into, which is exactly what she does with gusto and conviction