Review: Robot and Frank

Robot and Frank
Cert: 12 / 89 mins / Dir. Jake Schreier



What an absolute gem! Despite it being rooted firmly in indie film territory, it's very light on kookiness. The futuristic setting and appliances are presented (for the most part) without awe or exposition, and the varying treatment of Robot by the characters make him as human as any of them (despite Robot's repeated statements that he isn't).

There are recurring themes, metaphors and symbols on age, memory, regret and friendship, or if those aren't your bag, you can sit back and watch Frank Langella give a spellbinding performance opposite what is essentially a great mime-artist inside a very limiting suit. It's thoughtful, moving, funny, and the sort of thing I usually find very hit or miss. This is a hit. Oh, and is Frank's line of "She doesn't like you… I don't like you, either" a deliberate cantina-scene reference, or am I just willing that into being?

If you fancy something a bit different, but completely accessible, you should give this a go.



Perfectly.



Yes.



Yes.



Pay to rent; it's beautiful but doesn't need to be watched too often..



Yes.



Yes, although not for a while.



No.

When can I have a robot?

DISCLAIMERS:
• ^^^ That's dry, British humour, and most likely sarcasm or facetiousness.
• Yen's blog contains harsh language and even harsher notions of propriety. Reader discretion is advised.
• This is a 'catch-up' review. I watched this film at home, not at the cinema. I saw the trailer for this at the cinema, and I would have seen the film there too, but they didn't/couldn't show it. So now iTunes, Amazon, Netflix and Blockbuster get to reap the rewards of my local's advance-advertising, and I'm sure they're delighted. Now you may say "oh come on, they can't show everything down there", and that would be a valid point if they didn't do things like running Taken 2 for six weeks. Was it that successful? No, I don't think so. Twilight? Batman? Les Mes? Sure, go for it; if they're pulling the punters in then keep making that money. But Taken 2? I ask you. Anyway, this is essentially a DVD review, but still of a new(ish) film. There. I'm glad that's sorted.
• This is a personal blog. The views and opinions expressed here represent my own thoughts (at the time of writing) and not those of the people, institutions or organisations that I may or may not be related with unless stated explicitly.