Synopsis: Wannabe musician Jon (Domhnall Gleeson) gets more than he bargained for when he joins an eccentric band.
Stan's thoughts: The band Jon joins is led by Frank (Michael Fassbender) who wears a Frank Sidebottom head at all times and I was expecting quirky humour throughout. And there are some funny moments but this film is darker and more contemplative than I expected.
Frank's eccentricity (and the band's to some extent) is born out of mental health issues. You spend the whole film wanting him to take the head off and then when he does it isn't at all what you expect. The realisation of what the mask symbolises and embodies is what elevates this above a quirky comedy.
I could write a whole post just about the personality and problems of Frank; he is, on reflection, a fascinating character.
Frank is an intriguing mix of oddness and humour set against a wannabe rock and roll back drop in which the creation of music means different things to different people. The more I think about it the more I like this film.
Ratings
- Stan’s 78%
- IMDB 73%
- Metascore 70%
- Rotten Tomatoes 86%
- RT Audience Rating* 78%
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* Based on number of people who rated the film 3.5/5 and higher
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