Set at some point in the near future, Robot and Frank follows the life of Frank (Frank Langella), an aging and retired burglar who is on the brink of dementia. Concerned about his wellbeing and tempted to place him in a nursing home, Hunter (James Marsden), Frank’s son, decides to go another route and purchases a humanoid robot whose primary function is to help improve Frank’s health, both mentally and physically. In typical old man fashion, Frank initially rejects the idea of a robot helping around the house, that is, until he realizes that the robot can pick locks, helping him get back into the burglary game which is the only thing stimulating his mind at this stage of his life.
Frank is a funny and interesting character; he comes off like a klepto Walter Matthau in Grumpy Old Men because he’s always acting grumpy when his children bother him yet, when he’s out and about, he can’t resist the urge to steal something, like fizzy bath bombs or carved soap figurines and actuing completely innocent when he’s caught.
What I loved most about Robot and Frank was its subtle infusion of the Sci-Fi genre. The entire film felt grounded in reality and none of the sci-fi aspects felt over the top or unrealistic, they were really ideas and items that are likely to be seen in the foreseeable future be it a virtual reality rock band-like video games to robots with sophisticated artificial intelligence. Actually, during the credit sequence, they show you the robots being used throughout society today and it’s pretty cool.
Directed by Jake Schreier, Robot and Frank ends up being a wonderful “buddy” dramedy that has a lot of heart, emotional instability and cute twists. Through some masterful acting by Langella (who played Nixon in Frost/Nixon), Schreier is able to capture the hope and reinvigoration of life from an elderly man on the verge of losing his wits. Together, the two produce dramatic magic that feels real and never forced, a wonderful accomplishment for an indie feature.
In addition to Langella and Marsden, the film stars Liv Tyler as Frank’s nomadic liberal daughter who humorously is against the use of robots, claiming it is unethical and immoral. Susan Sarandon has a role as well, playing Jennifer the librarian which Frank frequents, hits on and then targets her
place of work as his first job out of retirement. She was a complete joy to watch.
Though it moves at a nice steady pace, my only complaint about the film is that it never feels like it deviates far from that medium. I’m fine with the movie not slowing down during its dramatic sequences since it slow to begin with, but I wanted to feel a bit more excitement when the two friends go out on their real job.
Overall, Robot and Frank is definitely a film worth seeing if it’s playing in your area or you come across it on VOD. It’s a touching, comedic and emotional portrait of a man finding a glimmer of hope and excitement in the last stage of his life in the most unlikely of places, a robot who is supposed to care for his health. Held together by a strong script, a clever idea, terrific action, and a strong directorial hand, Robot and Franks ends up being the feel good indie hit of the summer.
Rating: A wonderful and touching portrait of an old man backed by a very clever premise (7.3/10)
Recent Comments