Robot & Frank

Not available on Netflix currently, unfortunately.

Watched tonite and really enjoyed.

This is one of those bittersweet films that actually work.
Frank Langella is excellent (as usual).
Marsden, Sarandon, and Tyler do a fine job too.

Lots of guffaws and tears....RECOMMENDED.

The wife and I watched this last night and thought it was good although the modest film budget ($2.5 million) got in the way sometimes. First feature film for the director Jake Schreier. The subject, Alzheimer's, is a timely one and the story is poignant at times especially at the end. But let's face it this isn't a film topic that America is going to clamber to see no matter what kind of rave reviews it gets from critics. It was only released in 200+ theaters and if it wasn't for this forum and a trailer I saw on another movie I would not have had a clue it existed.

not here it isn't, My NF cue has a short wait only because I just added it. Had I known it was released this past Tue I would have added it last week and I would have gotten it 3 days ago.

It was a warm and charming little movie but that robot stuck out like a sore thumb. I mean you can tell there was somebody under that suit and a lot of times the robot talked more like a human than a robot so that kinda threw off the charm for me a bit. The ending was rather quick and abrupt...seems like the writer just wanted to get it over with.

The premise of robot assisting the elderly had so many interesting plot options and cool gadgets and F/X maybe I was expecting more...like Spielberg's A.I. or something like that.

It's what CW points out below....it doesn't really have anything to do with Sci-fi, nor was it supposed to.
What happens when a person gets old, has no one there to help them, and can no longer take care of themselves in a healthy mental, physical, and emotional way?

Watched this Sunday night and enjoyed it.

I liked the surprising “twist” toward the end when Frank was in the library office looking at the pictures on the wall. I probably should have seen that coming but didn’t.

I thought it was pretty cool that Frank was dealing with Alzheimer's/dementia in his own secretive way. He was obviously afflicted, but he also had enough sense about him to pull off what he did while deceiving everyone around him. It provided the perfect cover.

The robot: There were times I could have sworn I heard “Hal” talking.


I read a lot of books, and I find this is the norm rather than the exception. Some authors do it better than others. After being engrossed for days, an ending where things are wrapped up too quickly can be a real letdown. Regarding this movie; I didn’t notice it.
Edited by Aliens - 2/27/13 at 7:32am

I didn't find the ending of this movie too off-putting.
Yeah, a little abrupt....maybe a sequel/prequel in the future?

Hell yeah it was abrupt. Please don't tell me how many books you've read I don't care and spare me with all the pontificating mumbo jumbo ok. The robot kept on telling Frank to reboot him so that they score another job and get even with that guy he stole from but didn't finished the job because the guy and his wife came home. The robot even kept asking Frank: don't you want to do another job Frank? then you have to wipe my memory.

So finally after Frank turns him off before the cops got to them, you were expecting they were going on to do more jobs or at least one more big one now that the robot's memory is clear. But nope, next thing you see is the family having a get together in some stupid dream sequence and then wa-la he's in the retirement home. You guys call that not Unfinished? The movie ended exactly at 1:35 as if the studio heads told the director/writer's they only had a budget for that time span. The movie started sooo slow with the character study so they should at least be consistent to the end and give us some more excitement like Frank & the Robot doing one LAST BIG JOB and then go into the senior home. That's how it should end. Damn I should be writer.

Did somebody kick Zoey’s dog? C’mon, out with it. I'm innocent.

Sorry, not me.
I don't kick ladies or dogs.

ALIENS OTOH.....

Who would kick my little adorable Benny?

Rented this today. Possibly the most pure science fiction movie in a long time. It fell a little flat in the end but I still enjoyed it and the nice twist near the end drove it home, my house is pretty dusty it seems. Highly recommended classic scifi movie that should age well even after/if we get robot helpers. Can't possibly find much to rip apart with it unless you're a dick that way.

I still think it's sappy, sad dark film with low production and zero replay value. Glad to see those that enjoyed it, that's fine but you but don't have to be pussy and passively aggressive say someone is a "dick" if they didn't agree with you.

Whatever.

Loved this movie! I really appreciated the realistic approach to the tech used, which made it a more present future. Sarandon and Langella are just amazing together as well as Langella and Robot. I have to get the blu ray.

Yep. I appreciated the simple realistic approach as well. It does seem others did not. This should pair up nicely with Moon for a future double feature.

A good little movie. I have seen other small sci-fi movies that were better to me....The Man From Earth, Brother From Another Planet, Imposter etc....I did enjoy it very much.

The Man From Earth was recently suggested to me and I'm excited to seek it out.

I saw this movie about a year ago. It is very interesting. Don't expect a big or even a medium budget film. This is a very low budget film with a great cast and a great script. It looks like it was filmed with a camcorder purchased from Walmart on Cyber Monday. There is no action at all and about 95% of the movie takes place in a small cabin so it is very script driven. I would only recommend this to someone who really loves pure science fiction without all the glitz and glamour. It is the type of movie that could have been a Twilight Zone episode.

That description and my pal are all I needed.

Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.