BWW Reviews: FRANK - A Quirky Film of a Young Man's Quest to Fulfill his Musician Dreams

FRANK, directed by Lenny Abrahamson, arrives in theaters on August 22. Based on a memoir by Jon Ronson, the film is written by Jon Ronson (The Men Who Stare At Goats) and Peter Straughan (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Men Who Stare At Goats) and is loosely inspired by Frank Sidebottom, the persona of cult musician and comedy legend Chris Sievey, as well as other outsider musicians such as Daniel Johnston and Captain Beefheart. Featured in the cast are Michael Fassbender, Domhnall Gleeson, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Scoot McNairy

FRANK is one of the quirkiest I have seen in quite some time, centering on Jon (Domhnall Gleeson), a young wanna-be musician and songwriter who tries his best to find inspiration for his songs in the ordinary moment-to-moment happenings in his humdrum life. One da,y as he is sitting on his regular bench eating his regular sandwich from the local deli, he notices a man being pulled from the ocean and his life changes forever.

It turns out the man was the keyboardist for a band appearing in town, which is now in need of a new keyboardist. As Jon plays keyboards, he offers to help the eccentric pop band out, but soon discovers that he's bitten off more than he can chew when he meets the mysterious and enigmatic Frank (Michael Fassbender), the band's leader who wears an oversized full-head mask 24/7. His girlfriend Claire (Maggie Gyllenhaal) plays her own brand of synthesizers, and is even more offbeat than the rest of the band.

When Frank invites Jon to join them on a gig in Ireland the following weekend, Jon jumps at the chance. What he does not realize when he hits the road with them is that it will turn into a year-long adventure, culminating in recording their first record while living out in the middle of nowhere in the Irish countryside. As time progresses and money starts to run out, each of the band's members face physical and emotional challenges, which a few of them do not survive.

Unbeknownst to the other band members, Jon has been tweeting their progress and posting videos of their songs the entire time, thus creating a modest following that explodes once word reaches they will be appearing at the SXSW Festival in Texas. These tweets are shared onscreen throughout the film, as are most of Jon's inner thoughts he dare not express to the band.

The three lead actors had to learn how to play instruments and sing, something only Gyllenhaal had done prior to the filming. Given her many quirky character performances, she is a perfect fit for the emotionally-confused singer. Fassbender somehow manages to convey emotions even though we cannot see his face, often verbally communicating what his face is communicating underneath the mask. Frank is even more emotionally challenged than the rest of the band, and Fassbender shares his highest highs and lowest lows with every ounce of his being - other than his real face.

Domhnall Gleeson is an Irish actor, director, and writer. He has acted on both stage and screen, picking up a Tony Award nomination in 2006 for his part in the Broadway production The Lieutenant of Inishmore. Probably best known for playing Bill Weasley in the films Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1 and Part 2, released in 2010 and 2011, he is set to appear in Star Wars Episode VII, which is due for release in December 2015. His ability to take us along on Jon's wild ride to adulthood and acceptance of his place in society is liberating and totally honest in its representation of vulnerability and heartfelt longing to be accepted for what he could be if given the chance.

If you love quirky characters and music that is so far from the norm that it fights being categorized, this is the film for you! It certainly is guaranteed to have a cult following on Twitter once it opens.

FRANK, a quirky film about a young man's quest to fulfill his musician dreams, opens in theaters August 22

Running time: 94 minutes. Rated: R for language and some sexual content.

Photos courtesy of Magnolia Pictures

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