Robot and Frank has a yellow movie poster. And in the world of movies, that’s the code, more often than not, for a colorful indie film.
This can be good. Sometimes you want something quirky in mellow-yellow packaging.
But it’s a mixed bag for me.
The yellow mark of indie can be a caution flag, bringing to mind bad memories of films like Little Miss Sunshine (the darling of many, but for me, tried so hard to stand out it became nauseating).
But I’d long been curious about Robot and Frank – a playful comedy drama with a little science fiction.
The film tied for the Alfred P. Sloan Prize at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. It reportedly took $4.9 million at the box office against a budget of $2.5 million.
And it received positive praise. You can find it at a more-than-healthy 87% critics, 75% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes at the time of writing. And critics like Peter Travers of Rolling Stone, Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times, and Noel Murray of The A.V. Club had good things to say.
But I was still skeptical that the film would lean too hard into its indie status for me, too cute or too precious.
Let’s find out.
So is Robot and Frank a good movie?
The Plot of Robot and Frank:
In a near future, aging former burglar Frank Weld (Frank Langella) is struggling with dementia and Alzheimer’s.
To give him a helping hand, his son, Hunter (James Marsden), buys him a new model robot aide (movements by Rachel Ma, voiced by Peter Sarsgaard.)
Robot can care for Frank like a live-in nurse. It looks after his home, cleans up his diet, and gets him walking.
Frank is resistant to the changes but gradually begins to accept his new healthy lifestyle, especially when he realizes his robotic companion’s skill set makes it the perfect accomplice for new break-ins.
But the heat is on when Frank and Robot’s burglaries attract attention.
Will he get caught?
Librarian love interest Jennifer (Susan Sarandon), Daughter Madison (Liv Tyler), wealthy developer Jake (Jeremy Strong), and Sheriff Rowlings (Jeremy Sisto) fill out the main cast of characters.
The Rest of the Main Cast Includes:
- Caine Sheppard as Ryan
- Katherine Waterston as Shopgirl
- Ana Gasteyer as Shoplady
- Joshua Ormond as Flattop
The Good Stuff
Frank Langella Brings New Life to an Old Cliche, +4 Points
The crotchety older man is a well-trodden Hollywood character. It has been embodied many times by the biggest around, including more than a few by Clint Eastwood (pretty much every movie he’s been in since at least 2000) and Paul Newman (Nobody’s Fool).
Still, Langella finds a way to carve out his own unique version of the character and is a lot of fun in this role.
Langella’s Frank Weld is a keen, semi-sarcastic observer of a world that frustrates him.
Whether it’s a new technology that seems pointless or his inability to remember his favorite restaurant has closed, he’s annoyed.
Everything Langella does is neither over nor under-dramatic. He’s gruff and blunt but occasionally warm. And his line delivery and gestures betray a commanding presence in quiet denial about his lack of mental capabilities due to dementia.
Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto, +3 Points
Robot was designed after the Japanese human-style ASIMO robots. It’s a refreshing, cutesy take on artificial intelligence (no T-1000 here) that fits the film’s tone.
When he meets it for the first time, Frank quips to his son that Robot will kill him in his sleep. But with its pleasant white color and human-like movements, Robot is happier gardening than harboring ambitions of world domination.
Peter Sarsgaard’s vocal performance has perfect comedic timing. Rachel Ma’s movements hit the right notes of mechanical quality to believe that Robot is artificial yet capable of his tasks.
And the relationship between Robot and Frank is fun.
Frank convinces Robot to help him steal by arguing that casing buildings and committing theft will exercise his memory and keep him active. Since Robot’s primary protocol is to ensure Frank’s health, he decides to help.
An old man twisting his robot nurse into his accomplice is clever and hilarious, and the hijinks are enjoyable.
Just a Bit of that Moral Question, + 2 Points
While many sci-fi films have pondered the morality of robots and AI consciousness, Robot and Frank plays with the concept long enough to make it fun, then moves on.
In one scene, Robot says humans think, therefore, believe themselves alive. At the same time, he knows that, even though he can communicate, he’s not alive. So he doesn’t mind if his memory were to be wiped.
It’s a unique perspective, as pesky robots in other science fiction always try to exercise their humanity in poetic reflection (Blade Runner) or permanently put humans out of business (Terminator, The Matrix).
Robot doesn’t really care, and it’s funny.
There’s an acknowledgment that many choose to be anti-robot activists, but that potentially exhausted theme is not overplayed.
Technology, + 2 Points
The film offers an interesting commentary on technology, accomplished by not commenting.
In the world of Robot and Frank, robots and future-age phones are there. Some characters see them as helpful, while Frank could care less.
The film leaves technical advancement as an open question, not labeling technology as inherently good or bad – just present.
And that’s perfect for this vehicle.
Clever Use of Memory, +1 Point
**Spoiler Alert Here**
Frank is forced to wipe Robot’s memory so that he can’t implicate him in the crimes, yet Frank has Alzheimer’s and dementia.
It’s an interesting concept — a man trying to keep hold of his own memories must erase that of another, taking away his newfound friend.
Neglected Subject Matter, + 1 Point
There are fewer movie roles written for septuagenarian and octogenarian leads, and I liked that the movie explored questions about how a younger generation can take care of their aging parents.
And in our current age of AI, thinking about robotics’s role in that, positive or negative, is a thought-provoking question.
The Not-As-Good Things:
Susan Sarandonwrap, -1 Point
There’s a plot twist that, without giving it away, baffled me.
Jennifer and Frank’s potential romance doesn’t conclude how you think it would due to an unexpected revelation.
But I enjoyed their budding romance as it was and wish the change didn’t happen.
You don’t always see an older character trying to date, and I liked that novelty.
Time for this Comedy to do all that Serious Stuff, -1 Point
This movie is quietly funny and completely enjoyable for the first and second acts. Cranky Frank is rejuvenated by Robot’s healthy adjustments and their newfound schemes.
But in the third act, the good times with Frank and Robot stop rolling so we can put all the relationships in the movie in place, working on that feel-good stuff.
I dislike it when films take that detour.
Things get slightly cookie-cutter, and the character arcs and plot rails show too clearly.
Yes, it’s a drama. But I think going straight drama put me off here, and I missed the fun times.
Twerp Villain, -1 Point
Frank’s main antagonist in the film, Jake, is obnoxious.
While new-age yuppie Jake embodies the snarky qualities Frank will not like, he’s a twerp who is far more annoying than menacing.
It’s lamentable but not enough to destroy the movie.
Go Watch Robot and Frank
Total Arbitrary Points Score: 10 Points
Robot and Frank is a lighthearted comedy and drama fans of something a little different will enjoy.
It could have done without a few feel-good vibes, but thankfully, it tones down its inner clever indie and focuses on working as a film.
Langella and Ma/Saarsgard’s performances in the title roles play exceptionally well together.
And rather than get lost down the same moral questions and robotics pathway that other sci-fi barrels down, it simply glides toward pure entertainment value and storytelling.
So don’t fear the yellow movie poster and check out this film.
Enjoyed this Post?
Thank you so much. If you’d like to get a ping when I have a new article, you can join my newsletter below.
Disclaimer:
This review’s factual information was gathered through online sources, like Wikipedia, IMDB, or interviews. Misrepresentations and errors are possible but unintentional.
Making art is hard. This is a fan’s blog. Any criticisms are meant to be constructive.
