-Written by Kyle Bain.
Frank (Frank Langella) is a retired jewel thief, struggling in the early stages of dementia. As his memory starts to fade and it becomes more clear that he’s unable to take care of himself, his son, Hunter (James Marsden), gives him a Robot (Peter Sarsgaard/Rachel Ma). Initially annoyed by the robot’s presence, their dynamic begins to shift, creating the duo Robot & Frank, an unlikely friendship for the ages.
Robot & Frank blends comedy and drama in order to create something both simple and futuristic that manages to resonate with viewers from all walks of life. While there are two primary characters in Robot and Frank, three others sneak their way into the film in a way that allows them to reach viewers. The aforementioned Hunter, Madison (Liv Tyler)–Frank’s daughter, and Jennifer (Susan Sarandon)–his love interest–help to develop a dynamic character in Frank, but they exist in their own spaces as well, hitting different emotional notes along the way. Frank is a simple enough character to understand: he’s toward the end of his life, stuck in his old ways, struggling to deal with the fact that his memory isn’t what it used to be. Robot is as well. He simply represents innocence and companionship. This sounds like I’m shitting on the characters, saying that they lack something–but that couldn’t be further from the truth. The fact of the matter is that their simplicity is what allows them to reach viewers, allows them to be understood, allows them to work so well throughout the course of the film.
With that said, it’s ultimately the other characters that appealed to me the most. Again, not to say that the titular Frank and Robot didn’t appeal to me, or that they were lacking in any way–but these secondary characters are the ones that represent different aspects of Frank, that allow him to grow throughout the course of Robot & Frank. It was Hunter that I found to be the most compelling character, the one whose story meant the most to me. He is the most emotionally involved throughout the film in a number of ways, and the dynamic nature of this character allowed him to shift tonally at points throughout the film. The other characters, too, are dynamic, never remaining in one place tonally, morally, etc. Robot & Frank does a spectacular job of exploring each and every one of its characters from start to finish, making each of them accessible throughout.
With all of that being said, and being emotionally invested in the character throughout, I do wish that I had a more visceral reaction to the characters and their journeys. By the end of the film I was simply content with where each of the characters had journeyed throughout. I wanted more here in regard to this aspect of Robot & Frank–and there was something of a void left here, something unanswered.
Narratively Robot & Frank does run into some issues. As we enter the third act of the film there are a handful of moments that just don’t make sense. Sure, one might argue that because this film takes place in a slightly futuristic world that some of the normalities that exist now may have changed–but I can’t imagine how that might be true in the case of some of these issues. Robot & Frank falters in this regard, and I found issues with parts of the film going forward as a result.
So, after all of that, how did I stumble upon the little-known film Robot & Frank? Well, it’s the first of Greg Vorob and my venture into the world of lesser-known cinema, with the intention of determining whether or not these films that Greg has chosen for me were a good call or a bad one. So, how did Greg do?
Well, Robot & Frank certainly struggles in a couple of ways. In terms of the narrative, I was frustrated by the fact that some things just didn’t make sense, and that sort of stole from the final act of the film. Additionally, the void that remained by the conclusion of Robot & Frank left something to be desired, something emotional–one of the more prominent reasons why I watch films in the first place. Though, Greg picked a film that is well shot, uses sound to effectively drive it forward, and includes a series of relatable characters that resonated with me. So, in our first journey together outside of the Star Trek multiverse, Greg certainly steered me in the right direction, as Robot & Frank is an enjoyable, relatable film.
Directed by Jake Schreier.
Written by Christopher Ford.
Starring Frank Langella, James Marsden, Liv Tyler, Peter Sarsgaard, Susan Sarandon, Jeremy Strong, Jeremy Sisto, Rachel Ma, etc.
8/10 = WORTH RENTING OR BUYING
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