Robot and Frank (2012)

Robot and Frank (2012)

A tender indie comedy-drama that lets the elderly have their heist movie too

7.3

Movie

United States of America
English
Comedy, Crime, Drama, Science Fiction
2012
JAKE SCHREIER
Ana Gasteyer, Bonnie Bentley, Dana Morgan
85 min

What it's about

Curmudgeonly old Frank lives by himself. His routine involves daily visits to his local library, where he has a twinkle in his eye for the librarian. His grown children are concerned about their father’s well-being and buy him a caretaker robot. Initially resistant to the idea, Frank soon appreciates the benefits of robotic support – like nutritious meals and a clean house – and eventually begins to treat his robot like a true companion. With his robot’s assistance, Frank’s passion for his old, unlawful profession is reignited, for better or worse.

The take

The secret weapon to this charming story of a cranky, aging father and his new robot companion is the near-total dryness of its humor. On paper, this might sound like a depressing movie, but thanks to director Jake Schreier's sensitive touch, its protagonist's fading memory and family drama takes on the spark of youth once more. It's sweet and low-stakes, with most of the tension not coming from any fear that Frank might get caught in his hijinks, but in the curiosity of seeing if he can get back to his thieving roots. A great cast including Frank Langella, James Marsden, and Jeremy Strong keep every emotion coming consistently.

Comments

Add a comment

Your name

Your comment

UP NEXT 

UP NEXT 

UP NEXT 

Down the Rabbit Hole (2024)

A painfully uneventful coming-of-age story about a boy and his drug-lord father

3.5

The Boxer (1997)

Star-crossed lovers stand their ground in this disappointing Northern Irish drama

6.8

Mona Lisa (1986)

A neo-noir love story that dives deep into London’s underworld

7.7

The Guilty (2018)

A minimalist, razor-sharp thriller that will have you gasping for air.

9.0

The Last Stop in Yuma County (2024)

A tight Western thriller that makes good use of its limited budget

7.2

Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry (2023)

A meditative character study of an independent middle-aged woman

7.2

La Chimera (2023)

A dreamy, bewitching film that ponders on ideas of lostness and longing

8.0

System Crasher (2019)

A tale of trauma and one of the most talked about movies on Netflix in 2020.

9.0

An Autumn’s Tale (1987)

Two Hong Kong immigrants find a new life, and a new love, in this New York-shot romantic drama

7.6

Wind River (2017)

Sicario's screenwriter directs this story of murder in an Indigenous reserve

9.4

Curated by humans, not algorithms.

agmtw logo

© 2024 agoodmovietowatch, all rights reserved.