Movie Review: Robot & Frank (2012)

A big hit at last year’s Sundance Film Festival and now finding an audience much further afield, Robot & Frank is the first feature from director Jake Schreier and writer Christopher D. Ford.  Part Indie drama and part sci-fi, this film may well have something for everyone, even the most stone-hearted amongst us.

In the near future, Frank (Frank Langella) is a retired cat burglar, living on his own, far removed from his son Hunter (James Marsden) and daughter Madison (Liv Tyler), both geographically and emotionally.  Frank is clearly suffering some effects of dementia, despite his protestations to the contrary, and his behaviour starts to raise serious concerns with Hunter on his weekly visits.  As his Father is stubborn and Hunter doesn’t want to put him into care just yet, he finds a solution that may work: buying Frank a Robot that can act as companion, butler and nurse all rolled into one.  Initially, Frank is resistant to the idea and complains bitterly, but upon discovering that the Robot has no problem breaking the law, due to not being programmed about such things, Frank begins to warm to his new houseguest.  His daughter Madison returns however, mainly due to his complaints, and takes exception to the Robot on the grounds that it is ethically wrong to enslave the Robot.  Unbeknownst to Madison, Frank has formed a criminal bond with the Robot and plans to restart his jewellery heist career, so he argues to keep his new friend.

Robot & Frank has got a wonderfully sensitive feel about it, with some great performances by the leads who handle the various issues and subtexts with subtlety and finesse.  Frank Langella, in particular, gives a finely nuanced turn as the forgetful, aging criminal, and he keeps the whole enterprise centred, stopping it lurching into cheesy TV movie territory.

While the film is classified as sci-fi, this quickly becomes secondary to the main point of the film and more a device to allow the discussion of the various issues, so you soon forget this framework.  Generally, the key themes the film looks at are the nature of aging, companionship and family, although there are other things the film raises that make you think.

These central points are well handled without ever becoming too overtly sentimental. Although, it could be argued that one section near the end moves slightly too far towards the schmaltzy side. That aside, it manages to steer clear of many pitfalls that could befall it and isn’t just another ‘Alzheimer’s movie’.  The film does have a lot to say though about the nature of aging and how in our society the old become disconnected from the family and from the world. In this discussion, there isn’t just one reason put forward.  Hunter clearly has his own family and is trying to ‘pass the buck’ of his responsibility onto the Robot, while Madison is a very well meaning liberal type who would much rather be out on a humanitarian mission in a far off place than at home looking after her Father.

This disconnection between the sections of society isn’t just played out within the family unit though, as the film has interesting things to say about loss of heritage, the value of knowledge and the transitory nature of popular fads (as opposed to inherent value). In this regard, the subplot involving the conversion of the Library into a bookless ‘Community centre’ by ‘retro chic’ future hipsters is an interesting one and hopefully will make us think about how we treat our heritage and old knowledge/skills.

As Frank’s disconnection from family and society continues, partly driven by his increasing dementia, his loneliness is palpable and his eventual bonding with the Robot highlights some questions about the nature of friendship.  Although the Robot, in theory, can’t be friends with Frank, there is clearly something between the two, even if it is only emotionally from Frank’s perspective.  Is it just that Frank’s loneliness drives him to make friends as best he can while the Robot just becomes more accurately programmed?  Either way, to Frank, he finds a more honest and reliable companion than he has had for some time, which is interesting in itself, and at some points he gets to experience a relationship more like one he would have liked to have with his son.

While Robot & Frank may lose its way slightly towards the end, it has a lot to say and does it in a remarkably charming manner while also making you think.  It does sit in an odd position of not totally being a sci-fi film and not totally an Indie comedy drama, but this is not a problem and it has some nice twists and turns, with a good, well written story that will not disappoint.