To tell the truth, I didn’t expect strong impressions from watching and therefore was pleasantly surprised and pleased with this film. Of course, this is not a “roof-breaking” blockbuster, but it can not be called a passing “roof-breaker” either. It seems that this film came out too late to become a classic. So to speak, late in development. We are living in the era of “tooth-wrenching” technogenic cinema.
The cast, with the exception of Sarandon, is not known to me personally, although the faces are recognisable - secondary, this is what I saw in the "Memory Diary", this - in the passing action movie with Nisson, and this seems to be a beauty from "Armageddon". But “secondary” does not mean “not talented”, Frank Langella, for example, is very memorable, played perfectly – convincingly.
The film is easy, but not boring, the outcome is unexpectedly touching, but without excessive drama. Of course, to buy such a “smart” home assistant, not everyone can afford, even in the future, so dreamed and enough, although I am sure that for any elderly and lonely person such a “comrade” is simply indispensable.
If you like Hachiko, look at the verdict. If you are fans of fiction in the spirit of "Blade Runner", I think - You will be bored, the robot does not "sausage" and "deep" thoughts do not say.
7 out of 10
So, your attention is presented to the feature film “Robot and Frank” directed by Jake Schreier. The film tells about the relationship of a thief named Frank, a patient with Alzheimer’s disease, and a robot assistant, which Frank gave his son. The very subject of the relationship between man and machine is very interesting and it attracted me when watching this picture.
The plot is quite simple, although very interesting and it is interesting to watch its development. There are no claims to the scenario, there are no holes, no docking and stupid conventions. However, it develops quite slowly and some moments make you deliberately keep your attention.
It was a pleasure to watch the actors play, they played with hurrah. Frank, played by Frank Langell ("Ninth Gate, Island of Thugs, TV series "Joke", "Americans". He's an old thief, a bear cub, who's sick with Alzheimer's. It is interesting and sad to watch the development of the disease, how the hero struggles with it and what everything ultimately leads to.
And instead of talking about the other great actors in this movie, I'm not going to focus on the person. The robot, which the loving son played by James Marsden ("X-Men, "Westworld") gave his father, with whom they do not always find a common language, is very interesting and pleasant. At first, the attitude towards the robot was negative, but then Frank began to trust him, and it even caused jealousy from the children. For the “development of the character” of the robot is very interesting to watch. The director managed to withstand the line when the robot remains a robot, and does not turn into a person with “iron” brains.
The film raises a lot of problems, I was surprised. This is the problem of intergenerational connection, the problem of fathers and children, even the problem of the place of printed books in the modern world, the problem of relations with friends. The ending makes you shed a tear, which justifies the genre of melodrama. More precisely " science fiction melodrama"
As a result, “Robot and Frank” is a great film that raises a lot of problems, systematically reveals them and gives a real drama, which only the most callous will not break through to feelings.
P.S. What would you do if you were Frank at the end of the movie?
7 out of 10
Robot and Frank, directed by Jake Schreier, in my opinion, turned out very sad, but it was no less good. This movie is not perfect: it has little blunders, no highlight (something I lacked in this film). It is about the loneliness of an elderly person. Only one ending can make you think about our lives, the lives of our parents and remember the film for a long time.
The plot of the film is that in the near future a certain Frank (Frank Langella) is mercilessly aging, and Alzheimer's disease "comes on his heels." Frank is a former thief-burglar who served one term for his “wonderful deeds” and additionally earned a second, and even more, for tax evasion. But it’s not the only baggage he’s had in his life, he still has two children. Children do not have time to pay attention to the elderly father, each of them is “entered” in their affairs. Even a trip to visit him once a week is a burden. This burden should somehow be removed: a nursing home is not an option, suddenly conscience will be tormented, but if Daddy fits a robot that will look after him... It's an option! And so the son, without thinking twice, brings the robot to the folder and alone pulls it out of the trunk, aki inflatable woman (one of the blunders). Dad is not very happy, but there is no choice, and he will have to put up with a new guard, or servant, or medical staff. What will happen, everyone who looks will decide for themselves. It seemed to me that in this seemingly unalive (or inanimate) robot, Frank found a real friend he had never had before. Even the children and wife whom he loved dearly were not his own.
As you can see, the plot of the film “Robot and Frank” is quite calm and measured. The whole film is in the same vein as the plot, it does not have tooth-wrenching action, sparkling humor, although many moments in the film made me smile. Picture level. The script is smooth without failures (thank you Christopher D. Ford). I also liked the game, everyone was in their place. I especially liked the main character of Frank Langella - Frank (name-in-law). The actor very successfully showed an aging sick man with quirks. Liv Tyler also stood out for me as Frank's daughter. In the short period that she was on the screen, she managed to show a kind of love for the father of the character and similarity with his adventurous character.
Honestly, if it weren’t for Liv Tyler’s participation in this film, I wouldn’t have known that such a movie even exists. Indeed, this picture in the foreign box office was quite quiet and almost imperceptible. And it's worth it, because the picture is very good.
This film tells the story of an old man who has Alzheimer’s and needs care. However, children, due to the fact that they live far away, can not take care of him and therefore buy him a robot assistant. The action of the picture takes place in the near future and, I must say, I quite believe in this picture - very soon robots will enter our everyday life as tightly as possible.
As a person who is passionate about the future, and who likes everything, including technical innovations, I often encounter a misunderstanding of either the older generation or adherents of the old way of life. They say that all this is useless and robots will destroy us. The picture is a lot about that. It reveals both positive and negative aspects of technological progress. And that's good.
But the movie isn't just about that. It reveals the tragedy of an aging person, who is already very difficult to feel young, necessary, authoritative.
This film proves once again that Hollywood can make interesting (and, at the same time, so simple) pictures without multi-million budgets.
As for the main director Jake Schreier, and for the screenwriter Christopher D. Ford, the film “Robot and Frank” became a full-fledged debut in cinema. It is quite rare that in the paintings of unknown debutants, famous actors agree to star. But “Robot and Frank” did not enter this cohort, since Frank Langella, Susan Sarandon, James Marsden and Liv Tyler gave the go-ahead for their participation in the project, and Peter Sarsgaard was engaged in the voiceover of the robot itself, one of the main characters, as you can guess from the name. In general, a great company was picked up in the film. What could attract them so much, because it is unlikely that the debutants will have huge finances for filming ("Robot and Frank cost only $ 2.5 million, and the fees, by the way, fully justified themselves and even gave a benefit, albeit not so much, but still)? The answer probably lies in the plot of the film.
I absolutely agree with such a banal, but exhaustive line in the general description of the picture: "This is the story of a touching friendship between an old man and a robot." It is. They show us, as spectators, our near future. Robots in many homes have become as common as, say, a food processor. But one very capricious old man named Frank does not recognize this innovation, deciding to do everything himself. However, he is sick and the disease is progressing: his diagnosis is Alzheimer’s disease. And so the loving son, although he and his father sometimes do not find a common language, brings Frank a robot. Not accepting the gift at first, Frank still feels a genuine sympathy for the gift and their relationship more and more resembles the real, strong friendship that can only be between a human and a robot. There is support and mutual understanding in everything. And even the criminal past does not constrain the robot, and after all, knowledge of the laws was invested in it, they are always together. But, strange thing, Frank’s daughter is not entirely happy with such close communication between her father and the robot.
The film "Robot and Frank" will not surprise you with the big dynamics, rather, it is a reasonable narrative, so that each of the audience could understand for themselves the relationship established between the characters of the picture. "Robot and Frank" is not a great visual wonder, not an attraction of technical finds. Apart from the fact that a robot will walk around the house, you will not see anything new here. The creators of the picture decided not to saturate the background with any spectacular developments, they decided that it would be better to take their picture as a little fiction, and everything else to resemble our familiar life. Introduced a tragic storyline about Frank's disease, added more and his ambiguous relationship with the family, there is also a role played by Frank's relationship with a woman named Jennifer, plus also the criminal draughts of Frank - in general, a versatile tape that touches on a large number of nuances in human relations, not forgetting about friendship with the "non-human". "Robot and Frank" did not become a popular picture, most likely due to the fact that all these lines were not deeply worked out, and some might even seem superfluous. But as for the debut, the film “Robot and Frank” can be accepted more condescendingly, because it is the debut!
Frank Langella (maybe the role of the old man was written specifically for him, based on the similar names of the actor and his character) attracts with his detailed, thoughtful play. He can be abrupt, he can be on his mind, he decides everything himself, he is so used to - and you can not treat Frank differently, only as an authoritative person who has retained strength of spirit and resilience. The second main character, as already mentioned, is a robot that had no name and was called “Robot”. For the fact that you take him not as a metal dummy, but as a creature even with a soul - special thanks for the dialogue from the writer and our voiceover. Dialogues here are not so frequent, but quite well expressed verbally. James Marsden and Liv Tyler do not play important roles here, they play the children of the hero Frank Langella, perhaps agreed to such small roles only out of respect for Langella. They do not shine, but in their place are good and scold them simply for nothing. Susan Sarandon has long been retrained as a supporting actress. She has a cute image of Jennifer, who is not sure why imbued with an old man. And thank you Sarandon for keeping the secret of her character until the end and when it opens it will be a big surprise.
A film that did not become successful and popular among the audience, and in vain, it deserves to be watched by many and for many, "Robot and Frank" will be a revelation. And the unexpected genre of the film - fantastic melodrama - should attract those who crave something new and unexplored.
Old Frank lives a secluded life in his home. He progresses Alzheimer's disease, children visit him not often, and in general the son gives him a robot that will help to cope with the household and thus eliminate the need to come every week.
Frank's acquisition meets unfriendly, with the usual elderly alertness to everything new. But soon begins to appreciate the new neighbor and even turns into his friend, despite the fact that the robot constantly reminds that he is not alive.
The main goal of the robot is to improve the physical and mental health of Frank. And the best way to do that is to get Frank involved in some interesting activity. The robot offers to engage in gardening, Frank decides to refresh the skills of theft (in the past, he traded in this craft). This is where the film is set.
The robot will become for Frank not only an associate and service mechanism, but also a friend. It will remain just a programmed piece of hardware. That will be understood by both Frank and his family. After all, nothing replaces simple human communication with loved ones.
Robot and Frank is a great example of how you can make a great movie without having a big budget. A simple story that can cause a real range of emotions from laughter to light sadness. Despite the fact that the film lacks something to the level of a true masterpiece, and the introduction of a criminal component in the plot to someone may seem superfluous - "Robot and Frank" still succeeded. After all, if viewing awakens the viewer’s feelings, then the film undoubtedly achieved its goal. Therefore, with a small cape
I have a dual attitude to such semi-arthouse films. They are based on an interesting idea, they are shot without Hollywood gloss and tired faces of the local stars (although Leaf Tyler, Susan Sarandon and James Marsden lit up here, so this phrase is meaningless!), but they constantly lack something. Probably, this is the opposite option, when the highlight is, but the test around it is not enough.
Judging by the beginning of the film, the viewer was once again waiting for a story about the touching friendship of a robot and a person, beginning with the hostility of the latter to the very fact of the existence of the first. In general, it is, but the author decided to present this dish under a different sauce. I also had an unexpected dessert for the finale.
I don't know what I missed. Perhaps bolder humor. Or the charisma of the protagonist. Or maybe Frank's more detailed relationship with his iron friend. Or even the thoughtfulness of the robot with its amazing functionality.
The plot itself is also not to say that exciting - everything is very sluggish and somehow dreary. Life lacks comedy, relationships in the family - love and thoughtfulness, romance - in fact, romance, and crimes - full of anticipation of preparations.
The film is definitely worth watching for the finale, although it can hardly be called happy.
Unbeknownst to me, I was completely alone in this life. They came to me for a short time, talked about something confusedly, and then left forever.
Loneliness. What could be worse? Death? No one has ever been able to prove that the death of the physical body is the end of everything. Conclusion? This is just a new stage in a person’s life, and it depends on the prisoner for good or bad. But if a person is left completely alone, he will wither until only an empty shell remains of him (well, or he will start throwing himself at the walls and people in order to pay attention to the unfortunate). And our guest today tells about a lonely old man, as well as about a robot assistant that appeared in his life and what it all turned out to be. So this is "Robot and Frank."
Frank looks like an ordinary old man who lives alone in a bachelor apartment. A person who has problems with memory and who spends all his free time reading books. Whether he tries to train his memory in this way or whether reading brings him purely aesthetic pleasure is not so important. Another important thing is that Frank’s son Hunter is tired of going to his old man’s every week, so he brings his father a robot assistant to help him train his memory and lead a healthy lifestyle. What? Didn't I say it's in the not too distant future, and almost every home has robot assistants? Oh... well, consider what you said now. So, without realizing it, Hunter gave the old man not just a robot-assistant, but an incentive to life and, what is important, a friend.
And yes, this film is more drama than fiction, but thanks to both a good selection of actors and the script does not create the feeling of a heavy-handed film that tries to squeeze a tear out of an impressionable viewer. The story here is presented quite easily and if you do not think about what is happening, then before the viewer there will be a story about an old housewife who is engaged in stealing in order to prove to himself that he is still alive and can do something. And old habits are not so easy to get rid of. And if you think about it, then before us there is a story about a man who lived to old age was not needed by anyone. Children are interested in his health only out of courtesy. It's hypocritical, but people are. Frank's wife left because of his memory problems. You talk in sorrow and joy? Well, well. The old man had no friends at all. And that the worst of such people in our world is obscenely many. People who have families, but they are terribly lonely. And then there's a robot in Frank's life. At first, the old man tries to give it up - in the end, he does not without reason consider it a handout from his son, but after some time Frank becomes attached to the robot and can no longer imagine life without it.
As for the people involved in the project, one can only be glad that the main role went to Frank Langel, who, despite his venerable age, is still able to demonstrate excellent acting. There are very few people in the world who can play a person who slowly loses his memory and forgets people with whom he has known for many years. Usually, actors nightmarishly outplay their heroes and begin to show facial expressions where one should remain calm. The hero of Langella can quite calmly conduct an intellectual conversation, and the next moment look at his interlocutor with glazed eyes and wonder who is sitting in front of him? Talent? That's it! As for the other actors, they played quite well, but especially none of them remembered.
I would also like to note the pleasant musical accompaniment, which creates a feeling of home warmth and coziness, even despite a rather sad story, and perhaps thanks to it.
Summing up, I want to say that this is a good and instructive film in which there is a pinch of drama, comedy, fiction and even a pinch of adventure cinema for taste. The only “but” is the ambiguous ending of the picture, which left your obedient unpleasant aftertaste. But in principle, this ending does not make the film bad. It makes it unique. And if you like quite non-standard films, especially dramas, then you can not miss this movie.
7 out of 10
Every morning, a person has breakfast with old cereal with sour milk, visits the same places on a walk, steals unnecessary trinkets in the store, falls asleep with a book on the couch in the afternoon and shudders from sudden calls. He wanders through his life like on a foggy road, the world around him is rapidly changing for better or worse, but a person looks at reality as if through a light haze. He uses a modern phone and talks via video link to children whose names he sometimes forgets. He regrets the printed books that are dying out and the library turned into a modernized entertainment center, but he can do nothing about it. He pretends he is doing well, or he thinks he is. But is there anything bothering him? What is he thinking when he returns to his empty house?
One day his son brings him a robot. It's a protest. A robot is a sign that problems exist and can no longer be solved on their own. Thus begins the story of the relationship between two very different beings, one called to rule and the other to obey. It should be managed by a robot configured to help a sick elderly person. He is obligated to obey his ward, who does not want to obey at all. A person is forced to communicate with a machine, the appearance of which is perceived skeptically. Attempts of the robot to improve life are met with sluggish resistance and irony. However, the new assistant remains in the house. And gradually a person begins to influence the machine, adapting to its logic and skillfully using it for their own purposes.
What are the goals? What drives Frank, what motivates him to wake up from oblivion, finding unexpected support in a simple-minded mechanical creation? It is impossible to answer this question unequivocally, just as it is impossible to comprehend all the secrets of the human soul. An attempt to return to his distant youth, or an ineradicable mania, or a desire to feel again a true professional in his field, whatever it may be? Frank's inexplicable appetite for risk returns his strength and clarity of mind. He discusses his plans with the robot, develops tactics, thinks out a strategy. His actions seem at first wild, a dangerous game threatens to turn into trouble for him and expose his loved ones to the blow. Selfishness and recklessness? Probably.
But can you find light colors? Frank is sick and lonely. Adult children try to take part in his life, but they are too far away. They take care of their own business. Frank's business is in the past. Only the machine unconditionally accepts his ideas, does not read lectures, does not call to come to his senses. And gradually, Frank begins to trust her, sharing scattered memories that emerge from oblivion. He is proud to talk about his skills. He finds a companion and accomplice and does not want to hear that the robot has no feelings and attachments. Without his friend, he feels even more lonely.
Then why didn't he give the robot a name? Was he afraid to forget him or did he just not care? Maybe Frank didn't see the meaning of the name. It was important for him to feel silent solidarity with himself, to see the reflection of his own thoughts. Because of his age, other people's worries and feelings were no longer of interest to him. But he needed someone to share his imperfect life as it was. And this good deed, done by a standard, faceless robot, was imprinted in a fading memory, while much more was gone.
Illness and oblivion in the film come to the fore gradually, elusively transforming what is happening. Frank's situation is sad and it's getting harder to judge him. There's no rush. Everything is in the past, the final shots say. Moderate emotionality of the game, slowness of events, restrained expressiveness of music emphasize the idea of extinction. The man wasn't perfect. But it is worth remembering that it was not only self-interest that worried Frank. He performed a kind of retribution, inflicting damage according to personal sympathies and dislikes. A brave man should be punished and a good man should be encouraged. And who is to blame for Frank finding the same solution? Most importantly, he didn’t want to hurt anyone. Except for insurance companies, of course.
I always wanted to go to the future, but in a more prosaic, realistic way than the one described in most science fiction novels and films. And this is the opportunity. The story of “Robot and Frank”, which tells about what awaits us in the near future, looks convincing and authentic. It is as close as possible to the living conditions of an ordinary person, although it is not without a peculiar zest.
The main character is an elderly man who has been stealing all his life, and in old age did not leave his occupation - despite the presence of children, he is completely alone. His only entertainment is going shopping in search of what “is bad”, and communicating with a charming peer-library. The son, in vain attempts to help his father, flatly refusing to move to a treatment center, brings an automatic assistant to the house. This is where the most interesting thing begins.
Frank is initially annoyed by the meticulousness of the android, but as he gets used to it, he begins to become more attached. It is interesting to see how the robot becomes an accomplice to machinations and leprosy of a serious, at first glance, gentleman.
It is impossible not to mention the acting work of Susan Sarandon. From film to film, starting with "Little Women," it's a great pleasure to watch her characters. No matter who and at what age she played, Susan always manages to remain the embodiment of femininity, wisdom and balance.
A very interesting film: not only and not so much dramatic as adventurous and ironic, but at the same time emphasizing the true human values. More of these tapes.