Lazy Film Critic reviews:
Frank is an underground black comedy starring Michael Fassbender, Domhnall Gleeson, Maggie Gyllenhaal, & Scoot Mcnairy. It's about this aspiring musician named Jon who is in a sort of a blank phase, he doesn't know where his career as an artist is going and doesn't know what to make music about. That is until he discovers an eccentric pop/rock band led by the enigmatic Frank (who wears a mask).
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| Maggie Gyllenhaal, Michael Fassbender, & Domhnall Gleeson in in Frank. |
The writing in the film is certainly one of it's many strong points. The tone of the film is in a continuous grey area between comedy and drama, having hilarious moments followed by grim emotional moments. And what this film does so well is it blends it seamlessly. With other comedy/drama films, the switch between comedy & drama can seem abrupt and you would notice it, but here both the comedy and drama work together to create a unique tone.
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| Domhnall Gleeson |
The performances in the film are all particularly strong. Domhnall Gleeson is kind of a newcomer for film, he hasn't really done anything besides About Time and playing the creepy hacker guy in Dredd. But he plays an interesting and relatable protagonist in this movie. Scoot Mcnairy and Maggie Gyllenhaal are also very good in the film, they're both memorable and likable characters. But the best performance in the film comes from Michael Fassbender. He was such a unique character, in so many ways. He had so many great and thought provoking lines, but also a lot of energy with the role. Actors that can be both philosophical mentor types, and then kooky quirky characters at the same time are hard to come by, but damn does he pull it off.
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| Scoot Mcnairy in Frank |
The film has a very strong message, and some very effective statements. A constant theme throughout it mental illness. All of the band members have very visible mental issues (with the exception of Jon), and it effectively shows the connection between music and mental disorders, and how for these guys, creating music is a sort of escape for them. It also has a very profound and thought provoking message that will connect to not just aspiring musicians, but anyone with aspirations as an artist in general.
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| Carla Azar in Frank |
Final Rating
Frank is a wonderful film from start to finish. It used quirky charm and great characters as effectively as possible, and never loses focus on what it's trying to convey to the audience. Michael Fassbender gives, what is in my opinion, the best performance in his career, and I hope he's recognized for it. For some people, the film may seem boring or like it's not going anywhere, but for my time, it's a great film.
Frank: 4.8/5
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