CINEMA SPOTLIGHT - Meet FRANK
A few months ago, we were invited to an early screening of the movie Frank starring Michael Fassbender as Frank, Maggie Gyllenhaal as Clara and Domhnall Gleeson as aspiring musician Jon. The story follows Jon's quest to be part of a successful band, which is something he may not necessarily be qualified yet to do, but that doesn't stop him from trying. When happenstance prevails and he is inserted into the eccentric band The Soronprfbs, he meets Frank and is instantly mesmerized. Frank has a very specific persona in that he wears a giant fake head on stage, but what we soon find out is that the fake head is not a gimmick at all. It is Frank's way of coping with a very real social anxiety disorder.
The rest of The Soronprfbs are made up of Clara (Maggie Gyllenhaal), Nana (Carla Azar) and Baraque (Francois Civil). Clara has an unbreakable bond with Frank as she is his caretaker just as much as she is his bandmate. The band functions well for the most part, albeit they seem to do more practicing and perfecting their sound than they do actual performing. Enter Jon, an aspiring musician who is far less professionally trained and much more ambitious. When Frank is taken by him and begins to listen to his suggestions and is drawn in by Jon's need to be noticed in the music industry, it not only causes internal drama with Clara and the rest of the band, but it nearly destroys Frank in the process.
The first five minutes of Frank found me laughing out loud with some great internal dialogue from Domhnall Gleeson as Jon, and there were many comedic moments during the entirety of the film, but what struck me most was the plight of Frank and the struggle he has trying to balance his brilliance as an artist with his clear mental health issues. Michael Fassbender is a very compelling actor, and his performance in this film forces a distraction from his obvious dashing presence and makes us focus on his ability to make us laugh and cry, and really think about the struggle of someone with truly paralyzing social anxiety. It is a performance I will never forget.
Frank is a film that will resonate with me for a very long time. Anyone who has ever worked in the music industry or been part of a band will have much to relate to, but the film also touches on serious issues in a very poignant way.....all while tossing some brilliant comedy into the mix. I personally can't wait to own this film down the road.
Frank is now playing in select theaters across the country. For a complete list of cities and locations, visit this link: