Frank

Released: 2014

Directed By: Lenny Abrahamson

Starring: Michael Fassbender, Maggie Gyllenhaal

Certificate: 15

Reviewed By: Matthew Reay

Remember that character, musical creative and stand up mad man Frank Sidebottom? That iconic Manc during the 80′s with the papier mache head? No? It’s odd that the iconic and well known pop, comedian character has vanished from our minds. Well the character is sort of back, in a sense, through Lenny Abrahamson’s latest film titled simply Frank.

This black comedy created from the mind of Jon Robinson stars an unrecognisable Michael Fassbender in the title character of Frank. Also the star is joined by the ever surprising and disturbingly strange Maggie Gyllenhaul. Domhnall Gleeson is the lead character who is thrown into this bizarro world as the keyboard player of the band. Gleeson’s character doesn’t really have any musical talent yet he likes to think he does and he thrives to be in the music industry. He manages to stumble upon the band in question being called The Soronprfb’s, which the unpronounceable name turns into a running joke throughout the film.

Once in the band Gleeson seemingly enters into the very strange mind of Frank. Frank is one of the weirdest yet wonderful characters of film as he bounces across the screen in sheer joy never questioning his own strange acts. He is represented by the papier mache head which he never removes. He showers, he sleeps, even drinks liquidated food through a tube as to keep the mask on at all times. It’s as if the head piece is Frank’s way of protecting himself from what he deems a strange, strange world. None of the other characters have ever even seen his real face yet they follow him and do as he says as if in some sort of trance.

It is a black comedy and has some extremely funny moments which most notably are always formed together when Frank is having a breakdown which creates a sort of comedy influx between all the characters. That being said there are also plenty of character moments as it is also focused very much on how weird they are all together.

The film looks at the music industry with how creative some peoples depth can go as Frank experiments with various noises in the woods as to create sounds and his lyrics which string together of odd and strange words. It takes a slight look into the world of the internet as well as it touches on Gleeson’s character who posts videos of the band which allows them to perform at SXSW. It shows the wide popularity you can gain through the internet but also it’s darker side. Meely a touch upon with this the film very much is more about the creative strangeness which can be in the industry and the sometimes frustrating points in which a creative can be hit by.

This film truly is something else as it makes you laugh and makes you feel all at the same time. It draws you to some odd questions of Frank until the point you just decide to accept him for who he is.