Tuesday, June 25, 2013

ROBOT & FRANK: HUMANITY IN THE MACHINE

Frank Langella is an actor whose talents are rarely noted it seems. Some folks don't even know who you're talking about when his name is mentioned and that's a shame. Those of us old enough to remember will think of him as Dracula. A younger generation might consider him Nixon. The thing is he's been around turning out great performances for years and doesn't get the recognition that he deserves. His latest out on DVD proves that.

In ROBOT & FRANK Langella stars as Frank, an ex-jewel thief in the near future when things are changing as they always do. A cantankerous sort, Frank has been left by his kids to fend for himself away from family. They still try to make his life as comfortable as possible but at the same time have little to do with him. Case in point is the new item Frank's son Hunter (James Marsden) has brought to him.

To make sure that he's taken care of Hunter has just purchased a robot to be Frank's companion and caretaker. The robot has numerous responses programmed inside of him but at the same time develops his own somewhat personality the more time he spends with his new owner. At the same time he has a moral compass installed that makes him unlikely to be a partner should Frank ever decide to return to his old profession. At first confrontational Frank eventually accepts the little guy and they become friends of sort.

Frank spends his days doing little but he does enjoy the walks he takes into town especially to the local library. This partly involves his respect for the books on hand there but more to do with the local librarian Jennifer (Susan Sarandon) he takes a liking to. That will soon change as the young generation is dispensing the library of all its books to be replaced by computerized editions on hand and available at work stations. These people are interested in Frank only because he actually read a book.

Angry at the way things in his life are going and angrier still at the elitists' attitudes of this new generation, Frank decides to steal Jennifer's favorite book from the library to give to her. He recruits the robot to be his wing man. This will be no easy task as he not only has to teach the robot how to become a thief but has to convince him it's for the better as well.

Frank uses the robot to help him co-ordinate things in his goal of returning to a life of crime. They begin by taking on a small project of stealing something from the snobby head of the group determined to change the library. As Frank teaches the robot the finer skills involved in timing, lock picking and breaking and entering we're given a humorous look as he corrupts the robot that has no clue. At the same time we witness the human connection between the two that Frank doesn't share with his kids.

Problems arise when Frank's daughter Madison (Liv Tyler) arrives. Where Frank at one time wanted his daughter to be there now he wants her out so he and the robot can get back to business. But Madison is here after being plagued with guilt for not taking care of her father. Then again she also returns because it is convenient. Until she is gone Frank can't move forward with his plans.

What makes this film so interesting is the skill shown by Langella as Frank, a man who is lost in a new world that doesn't seem to have time for him any more. He does regret parts of his past, mostly the fact that he wasn't there for his children when they were growing up which is being reciprocated by their not being there for him now. It's not a matter of no love, just anger at the past. But the true emotion seen in the film isn't between one human and another but between Frank and the robot. A defining moment between the two comes towards the end but I won't ruin the surprise of it here. Watch and see.

The quality of the production values in this film are well accomplished and all involved turn in true to character performances. The photography is well done and the direction brings the most out of each actor as well as the completely unemotional robot. If you're getting older (like me) then you'll relate to many of the scenes here. This is an enjoyable film that only gets better as it moves forward.

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