Frank (2014)

[CJohn]

Discuss!

[Jake Gittes]

In most reviews I've read, people find the film's transition from a self-consciously quirky comedy to a serious character drama to be its main virtue, but for me it was a bit too jarring to be truly powerful - perhaps it'd work better on second viewing when I already know what's coming. Still, it's a curious little movie that has more up its sleeve than you'd expect it to, Fassbender gives another great performance, Domnhall Gleeson isn't afraid to make his character a total prick when needed (after Anna Karenina and now this, I'm convinced this guy has a bright future) and Maggie Gyllenhaal is sexy as hell and steals all her scenes. 

[darkelf]

Loved the hell out of it, nearly perfect blend of funny and dark with great performances, good direction and an unpredictable story-line. Highly recommended.

 

9/10

[The Panda]

I really enjoyed this, funny and cynical near the end.  A great dissection of the music industry.

[mattmav45]

This is something else.

 

I wasn't really sure what to think of this, even up to the final ten minutes or so.  I knew I liked it quite a bit, but it was nonetheless one of those films that I had trouble gathering my thoughts on.  Every now and then I have a viewing where the ending not only wraps up the story in the best way possible, but also serves as an enlightenment of sorts in clearing up my thoughts regarding the film.  Thankfully, such was very much the case here.

 

The story is initially focused on Jon, a wannabe musician who plays the keyboard and can't write songs worth a damn.  Jon falls into a gig with a band led by Frank and his group of abstract musicians.  This basic set-up ultimately has severe ramifications for all.  It is very much the type of film in which each character and their layers within is peeled off bit by bit throughout the run time.

 

It makes sense to start with Frank.  He serves as as the symbol of all the abstraction on display.  There is a heavy aurora of mystery that tends to follow him in the viewer's initial encounters with the man.  The one constant tends to be Frank's love and passion for music.  It is quite easy to see that music is the man's energy source in life, and the one thing that keeps him ticking.

 

In stark contrast to Frank lies Jon.  He is very much the straight character of the group, and perhaps more importantly he is the character responsible for trying to find that balance between what is acceptable and what is abstract.  In the course of trying to do so, a cycle begins that nearly leads to the destruction of all involved.

 

It was at this point that I was having trouble levying meaning to all this, and connecting the dots in a way that made sense to me.  Fortunately, the ending not only connected the dots, but connected with me as an individual.  The ending of course finds Frank re-united with his band mates wherein he beings singing "I love you all."  What a great tribute to the power of music this film ultimately is, at least this is how I am choosing to interpret it.

 

It is hard to describe the power that music holds over us.  At times a mere happenstance listen of a tune can send us whirling back to a specific time period in our life.  I like to think of it as a deeply ingrained energy that we all have, but ultimately it is one's approach that determines the rewards that energy has to offer.

 

Music, in its most pure form, is unadulterated emotion.  It is raw, it is primal, and and it is most importantly glorious.  When Jon tries to to inject his outlook and viewpoint on music, the purity is lost.  Frank's life has been grounded by music, but only music in its most pure form.  Put some artificial ingredients in there, and unfortunately Frank's mental illness begins to seep through.  Music is the soul and rock of the life of Frank.  By tinkering with his music, Jon was in fact tinkering with Frank's soul.

 

This interpretation will likely not work for all, but the memory that won't soon leave my mind is that of Frank in that bar belting out "I love you all" at the top of his lungs to his true family.

Edited January 23, 2015 by mattmav45

[GeneralKong]

Fassbender is absolutely terrific, and he pretty much holds together a film that I was otherwise a bit underwhelmed by. It has a darkly comic bite and explores some interesting themes in regards to the origins of genius, but it's rather emotionally distant and the overt quirkiness makes it awkward in a rather unpleasant way at times. 

 

7/10

[Goffe]

I watched the trailer recently and it didn't look very good. Should I watch this?

[solaris]

need to catch this.... I've been listening to 'I Love You All' on repeat.