Frank (2014)

Jon, a young wanna-be musician, discovers he's bitten off more than he can chew when he joins an eccentric pop band led by the mysterious and enigmatic Frank.

Director:

Lenny Abrahamson

Writers:

Jon Ronson, Peter Straughan

Stars:

Michael Fassbender, Domhnall Gleeson, Maggie Gyllenhaal

13 wins & 17 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Domhnall Gleeson	...	Jon Burroughs
Moira Brooker	...	Jon's Mother
Paul Butterworth	...	Jon's Father
Phil Kingston	...	Radio DJ
Billie Traynor	...	Cafe Lady
Shane O'Brien	...	Lucas
Scoot McNairy	...	Don
Maggie Gyllenhaal	...	Clara
François Civil	...	Baraque
Carla Azar	...	Nana
Chris McHallem	...	Paramedic
Michael Fassbender	...	Frank
Michael James Ford	...	Port Official
Mark Huberman	...	Management Guru
Rosalind Adler	...	German Mother

Storyline

Jon, a young wanna-be musician, discovers he's bitten off more than he can chew when he joins an eccentric pop band led by the mysterious and enigmatic Frank.

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Plot Keywords:

musician | band | hit by a car | stabbed in the leg | suicide | 

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Taglines:

On May 9, take off the mask

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Music

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Certificate:

M/14

Did You Know?

Trivia

Although the biggest chunk of the movie is set in Ireland and both stars of the film are Irish (Michael Fassbender and Domhnall Gleeson) neither one of them is Irish in the movie. Fassbender's character is American (specifically from Kansas) and Gleeson's character is English.

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Goofs

During the rehearsal at Vetno, the song prominently features the sound of an electric guitar, yet nobody is playing one.

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Quotes

Frank: [singing] Coca cola, lipstick ringo/Dance all night, dance all night/I've got dancing legs, woo!/I'VE GOT DANCING LEGS!/They won't stop me dancing/No, they won't stop me dancing/Kiss me, just kiss me/Kiss me, Nefertiti/Just the way you like it/Just the way you like it/Kiss me, kiss me/Lipstick kiss me lipstick ringo that's the way you like it!

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Crazy Credits

The credits roll with colored tiles floating and rotating in the background. At one point for a second, the tiles form Frank's head.

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Connections

References Paris, Texas (1984)

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Soundtracks

The La La La Song
Performed by Domhnall Gleeson
Written by Domhnall Gleeson, Stephen Rennicks and Darragh O'Kelly

User Reviews

Inside the Head that's Inside the Head

Greetings again from the darkness. Most movies fit pretty easily into a genre: drama, comedy, action, etc. This latest from film festival favorite Lenny Abrahamson is tough to classify. It begins with silly and funny inner-dialogue from an aspiring musician/songwriter (Domhnall Gleeson), transitions into a dark dramady with complex characters and dialogue, and finishes as a bleak statement on mental illness and the music business.

That's more than I would typically disclose, but some have described the film as an outright comedy and I find that unconcsionable. If you are expecting a laugh riot, you will not only be disappointed, but are likely to miss the unique perspective provided.

The screenplay is written by "The Men Who Stare at Goats" collaborators Jon Ronson and Peter Straughan. Clearly inspired by the late British comedian and musician Chris Sievey (and his character Frank Sidebottom), Mr. Ronson's work with Mr. Sievey is the driving force. It's also the reason Gleeson's character is emphasized over Michael Fassbender's titular character who dons the paper mache head for the bulk of the movie. This script decision probably keeps the film from being truly great.

The exceptional and attention-grabbing first 15 minutes set up a movie that dissolves into an exploration of the creative process within mental illness ... Franks states numerous times that he has a certificate (certifiable). There is also an ongoing battle between art and commerce, as waged by Maggie Gyllenhaal's character and that of Gleeson. Social Media power is on full display as this avant-garde performance art band gathers a huge following prior to ever really producing any music.

Without seeing Frank's facial expressions, we witness his transformation from mystic/guru to an unstable and socially uncomfortable dude striving for likability, but unsure what the term really means. Must artists suffer for their art? Why does society latch onto the newest social media gimmick? What is creative success and why are so many afraid of it? The film begs these and other unanswerable questions. Certainly interesting, but definitely not 90 minutes of laughter.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official Site

Country:

UK Ireland

Language:

English French German

Release Date:

16 October 2014 (Portugal)

Also Known As:

Frank

Filming Locations:

Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$16,056, 17 August 2014

Gross USA:

$645,186

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,897,363

Company Credits

Production Co:

Element Pictures, Runaway Fridge Productions, Film4

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1