Frank - when you're really desperate to be in a band..
When a guy wearing a huge papier-mâché head asks you to join his ultra-funky band called Soronprfbs, you immediately say yes and join him on a trip to create the album of your life, right? Right!?
Jon (Domhnall Gleeson) is a young keyboard player dreaming of creating his first hit song. But knowing he isn't getting far at home playing alone, he one day bumps into a band called Soronprfbs, who's playing in his hometown. Well, he doesn't really bump into them. Jon sees the keyboard player trying to drown himself in the sea. And the manager of the band (Scoot McNairy) asks Jon to replace him. Yeah.. this is one of those just-go-with-the-weird-story-and-maybe-we'll-get-somewhere kind of films.
Now you might think I'm being the negative nancy over here. But be honest, the only reason you were even remotely interested in this film, is the weird guy wearing the huge fake head, and maybe because you know Michael Fassbender is wearing it. If you were expecting anything less than a hipstery story, you were always going to be disappointed.
We have Jon tweeting throughout the film, updating his tumblr blog and posting videos on youTube. The band is obviously trying to get into SXSW. And lastly there's Maggie Gyllenhaal, being an angry weird Maggie Gyllenhaal...
But it isn't all bad. Beneath it all it's actually still a quite charming story about a young guy who wants to have the experience of being in a band and all that comes with it. I read some people really disliked the ending, but I didn't find it that bad. It even brings some realism back into the film — although, maybe just a little bit..
Frank might be fun if you are really, really, really in need of something quirky in your life. But to me, overall it felt like one of those hipsters just trying too hard.
