Un amigo para Frank

A funny & touching film that is very effective at getting the audience to identify and empathize with Frank Langella's aging character, a former cat burglar who is gradually growing senile. Frank's son buys him a robot caretaker --a health-nut disciplinarian with a soft spot in its hardware heart -- and Frank eventually persuades the robot to be his partner-in-crime in some late-life capers he has planned.

The film is cleverly and ambiguously set in the "near future," so the 30- & 40-somethings of today could easily be the Franks of tomorrow: still using the slang of the 2000s & 2010s, not scared of the latest technology but still somewhat befuddled by it, and rather aghast when young people ask us about our quaint "relationship with printed media."

Robot & Frank opens nationally this week only at a limited number of select art-house theaters across the country, and most likely won't get the larger release it deserves…which frankly is too bad. The film uniquely crosses across so many genre borders and can best be described as a dramedy meets a heist thriller. Robot & Frank is incredibly charming, funny and moving.

Writer Christopher D. Ford pens his rare tale set sometime in the ambiguous near future. He doesn't worry about flying cars or futuristic fashion, and keeps this tale grounded in a plausible future that is easily believable. First time director Jake Schreier reveals a mature ability to find the perfect pacing that develops the characters with ease and exact timing that turns the comedy bits into gold.

Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon, Good Night, and Good Luck) is nothing short of exceptional as the title character of Frank. He is hilarious and poignant as the surly ex-con who is starting to lose his mind, and radiates a million emotions across his face without saying a word. If this film could possibly find a larger audience, Langella would have a good shot at punching his Oscar card again.

The smaller supporting cast plays in perfect to establish Frank's present and his past. Susan Sarandon (Thelma & Louise, Dead Man Walking) radiates a beautiful sadness playing a lonely librarian and one of Frank's only connections to the real world. Liv Tyler (Lord of the Rings, Armageddon) and James Marsden (X-Men, 27 Dresses) are solid as Frank's grown-up kids who don't have the time to care for their father and his worsening condition. Best of all is Peter Sarsgaard (Jarhead, Garden State) who brings a perfect sense of comedy and real life validation as the voice of the robot. His dry wit steals the scene on numerous occasions.

Robot & Frank is one of the best films of the year. It's a mystery why bigger studio distributors are so afraid to fully get behind a film like this and push it out the mass audience, especially when you think about the $80 million that was spent on advertising costs for a film like Battleship alone. Robot & Frank is funny, exciting and touching. What else does a movie need?

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"How do you know this whole thing isn't just one big scam?" Frank (Langella) is an ex-jewel thief who is living alone and is getting dementia. Worried about his dad his son Hunter (Marsden) gives him a gift, a robot to help him remember things and help out around the house. At first Frank is opposed until he learns he can teach the robot to be his partner. I wasn't sure what to expect from this movie going in. It looked OK but also had a feeling it was going to be slow and a little dry. I was wrong. While the movie is not at all action packed or exciting it had an original idea that really kept you interested the entire time and I found it to be an enjoyable movie. There is comedy in this and the way its presented makes it seem like this thing could really happen. The movie is actually surprisingly touching and well worth seeing. I just don't know if I'd watch it again, but I'm glad I saw it once. Overall, a good and heartfelt movie that is well worth checking out. I give it a B.

It's hard to fault this movie. Literally. I was going to rate it as an 8, but I have to give it a 9 because I can't think of anything about it to criticise.

The plot is rather simple. Frank is a confused older man who is finding it difficult to take care of himself. He is given a robot medical assistant who is programmed to do only one thing: help Frank. Frank resists mightily at first, but soon Frank improves remarkably and takes up his earlier vocation: stealing jewels. It turns out that the robot's programming does not extend to obeying the law...

This film is interesting, surprising, heart-warming, intelligent, thought-provoking, amusing, understated, well written and well directed. It delivers first-rate performances by first-rate actors.

It defies categorisation. Is it science fiction? A heist movie? A family drama? A melancholic feel-good story about aging? It has no shootouts, no car chases, no superspies, no superheros, no martial arts scenes, no demented villains. What it does have is character development, good writing and a nice story.

Kudos to Schreier, Ford, Langella and Sarandon.

I enjoyed "Robot & Frank", though I am not quite sure why I've seen it referred to as a comedy or a 'buddy comedy'. It's actually a rather serious and ultimately depressing film--but one that is highly original.

Frank Langella stars as an aging man who is slipping mentally and physically. Exasperated, his son decides to do something to free him from having to worry about his father--buy him a helper robot that will keep an eye on him and care for him. However, Langella's memory is spotty--and the very larcenous part of his past is still alive and kicking. And, he's hoping that the robot might help him on his next caper.

The film is a bit hard to rate. I was stuck between a 7 and an 8. It is super-original and fresh but also a bit of a downer--particularly towards the end. It's nice to see some very good acting but I wish the film was a bit more fulfilling. What did you think? Did you also find it a tad unsatisfying when all was said and done. Good--very good. But also not exactly an enjoyable film.