Libramedi Intense, gripping, stylish and poignant

GazerRise Fantastic!

Nicole I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

Gary The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

The Movie Diorama Ingenious? Meh. Hilarious? Not really. Moving? Definitely not. Not sure what I...wait, there's more descriptions for this on the back cover? Brilliant, touching and captivating? Funny, thoughtful and smart? Where was I...oh yeah, not sure what I watched but it certainly wasn't any of the above. A retired cat burglar who suffers from memory lapses has two grown children who are concerned that he cannot live by himself. So they purchase a robot programmed to improve his health, however he uses it to get back into completing heists. Ok look, it's a nice film, perfectly watchable and hosts a fantastic central performance from Frank Langella. I was onboard with the subtle futuristic tropes in a modern world that is based on our current reality. Humanoid robots, modern phones and televisions and even the architectural designs of certain buildings. The attention to digitalisation assisting humanity through processes of deterioration was rather refreshing. Our main character resents change but slowly starts to embrace it, ironically this is the same with any new piece of technology. Schreier's directing style was clean and enhanced the contemporary indie feel that the film was aiming for. All the ingredients for a quirky memorable indie drama are there, so why was I immediately disengaged with the story? I mean I really didn't care for the plot at all. It's far too glossy and overly quirky to a point where the characters themselves existed just because the plot required them. Susan Sarandon's character is in the film simply as a means for a twist at the end, which was implausible anyway. Liv Tyler still cannot act. The subtle humour was so subtle, that I didn't actually laugh or smile once. I'm just not sure where I sit with this one. The concept and ideas were great, technical execution was sublime and the production design was suitably modern. The story and script were rather lacklustre and for that, I didn't care for it. Shame really.

mrhdbnger-04245 I heard about this one through one of those lists of obscure movies you never heard of and I am so glad we watched it. I love this movie. The elements of science fiction with the robot appeal to my love of that genre. The human drama was touching and intriguing and left us guessing about Frank. The robot was a delightful character and lent so much to humorous situations that I laughed out loud repeatedly. I was invested,engaged and I laughed and even cried a little. This covers everything a good movie should do. What an entertainment treat.

DarthVoorhees Frank Langella is an under appreciated treasure and 'Robot & Frank' marks one of his unique characterizations. This is a wonderful subtle little movie that has some of the boldest commentaries in a recent Science Fiction film. It has no real tremendous flash but it makes large predictions and philosophical questions that the best Science Fiction stories do. 'Robot & Frank' is all about the future coming in and sweeping away the old in favor of flashier trendy technology. At the heart of the movie is the friendship between Langella and his robot bringing out the question of humanity vs technology. It showcases brilliant acting from Langella and Peter Sarsgaard who understand how nuanced this material has to be in order to work. Sarsgaard deserves a great deal of praise too as his character presents the most challenges. Sarsgaard's robot isn't really sentient at all. The dialogue is pretty much all programming speak with no real personality. But Sarsgaard has a tremendous warmth and Langella unloads all the vulnerabilities and regrets of the character on the sterile robot. It completely works and showcases an unlikely friendship.There's a brilliant storyline too that goes with the main themes of the film about the library being taken away in favor of it being a trendy hub of rich hipsters who think the idea of a library is fun and ironic. It's sad because it's so true. The movie says it takes place in the not so distant future and I got depressed thinking that Langella's character could have been born the same time as me. It really made me think about books and objects and the kind of weight you put on them. It's no doubt what the film intended and it really worked.'Robot & Frank' is a gem and a film that should be watched in order to really appreciate the Science Fiction genre. The great Science Fiction films are a reflection of our fears and uncertainties in the present and how the fantastic futuristic worlds can reflect them back on us. 'Robot & Frank' is that brought down to it's bare essence with two wonderful performances. It is touching and wondrous.

bowmanblue I have to say that the film's premise of an 'old guy and a robot' didn't really grab me. I preferred the all-out action of 'I Robot.' However, now I've watched it, I found I actually liked it.In the near future, our aging hero 'Frank' is given a robot to look after him by his family. Frank is naturally grumpy and the two don't really get along. If it was left as that, it probably would have been pretty dull. But, what brings the story to life is the fact that Frank is a habitual thief, so, with his newfound 'toy,' he decides to train it to help him pull of some jobs.There is some very dry humour in all this, plus you actually will care about the characters, even the robot, who comes across as 'more alive' than most daytime TV stars.It's certainly not an 'all-out action' epic. It's far more subtle, rolling along at a deliberately slow pace. So, you probably have to be in the mood for something a little more gentle to fully appreciate this.I now want my own robot. All I have is a 'Speak and Spell' from the eighties that doesn't work any more.http://thewrongtreemoviereviews.blogspot.co.uk/