Frank is certainly a film that I thought had a lot of good and bad points. The story is unique and Frank is a very mysterious character. Most of the film takes place in a nice remote setting which adds a great atmosphere.

The acting throughout from all the cast is of a very good standard. Domhnall Gleeson was absolutely fantastic and executed the jokes to perfection. I particularly enjoyed when we heard his thoughts/updates out loud, there were very funny at the start of the film. The humour overall is dry but works for the most part. Apart from Jon's thoughts out loud I would say the hot tub scene was also quite memorable.

The film takes a tragic turn midway through and the band also progress. I felt that after an hour the novelty wore off slightly and it became very tedious to watch, I really started to lose interest. The second half of the film didn't really work for me and I felt disappointed after such a great start. The film wasn't engaging enough to make me connect to the characters as the serious stuff happened but it was very enjoyable when it was more on the comedy side.

A well made film with great performances that unfortunately lost its way towards the end. Some will love it, some will hate it and I can see both sides to that argument. Overall I would say 5/10.

"Frank' is NOT a film for everyone, as it is totally bizarre and makes very little sense at times. However, it DID make me laugh and even smile a bit. It has a quirky strangeness that I liked and I am glad I saw it, though it think it would be a hard film to sell on the average person--mostly because it makes little attempt to be conventional.

The film begins with Jon (Domhnall Gleeson) in Scotland. He's an apparently talentless young man (who looks a lot like Rupert Grint-- the guy who played Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter films) who somehow is still quite happy. One day, he meets a guy from a band who needs a keyboard player and Jon tells him he can play--and he's in the band with no try-out! Well, he turns out to be horrible and can barely play the keyboard at all--which would be a SERIOUS problem with 99.99% of the bands in the world. However, this one is very avant-garde--more like a combination of a New Wave band and performance art. The bottom line is that NONE of them seem to have much musical talent at all and their 'music' is not good. The most talented of the band's members is Frank--a seriously mentally ill man who wears a giant Jack-in-the Box style head! In fact, he NEVER removes the head and sings in it, sleeps in it and even drinks nutrients through a straw in it! He's odd...but the rest of the band is pretty weird as well and apparently Frank and another band member met while institutionalized. Despite these folks being ultra- weird, perhaps the most misplaced of all is some ways is Jon, as he does not appear to have any talent whatsoever. Yet, oddly, he is able to somehow fit in with this group of misfits. And, by the end of the film they somehow manage to become a sensation. The bottom line is that the film is apparently never intended for a huge audience--it's more of a quirky niche film. Because of this and the bizarreness of the characters, it's definitely an acquired taste. In many ways, this reminds me of "Napoleon Dynamite"--a film many folks love and many hate because they think it just doesn't make any sense. It is NOT a film for everyone--mostly just for folks who don't mind a meandering plot, a lot of stuff that makes no sense as well as many strange, almost nonsensical characters. As for me...I actually enjoyed it.

By the way, if you think that the idea of a severely mentally ill guy becoming a sensation as a lead singer and songwriter sounds impossible, watch the film "The Devil and Daniel Johnston". Johnston, a real artist and musician, despite a severe Bipolar Disorder and a history of ultra- bizarreness is both a huge hit within certain circles. I wonder if his life was in any way the inspiration for Frank.

UPDATE: Rex Reed picked this film as one of the worst of 2014. Considering all the interesting and quirky parts, I wouldn't agree but I could see someone objecting to the film overall as it certainly is strange. I like strange but not everyone wants that in a movie.

I consider myself a fan of Irish director Lenny Abrahamson on the strength of having watched his fine little dramas ADAM AND PAUL and WHAT RICHARD DID. Sadly, FRANK is my third effort from this director and the first one to leave me completely cold. It's a comedy following the trials and tribulations of a low-rent band who are presided over by lead singer Frank, played by Michael Fassbender in a giant head obviously modelled on one-time Northern comedian Frank Sidebottom.

This is a very odd film. Quirky, in fact. I'm all for quirkiness, but somehow it doesn't work here. As a comedy, it's never funny, and as a film it's a complete failure. I found that the viewer was expected to watch a bunch of unlikeable characters parading around, arguing, occasionally having sex, and going through various trials. To be honest, I couldn't give a jot for any of them. Even the music isn't very good.

Domhnall Gleeson is the erstwhile lead, a man who acts as the viewer's introduction into a surreal world. As with the other films I've seen him in, he's dreadful; cold and wooden throughout, always concentrating on acting rather than giving a naturalistic performance. His father he isn't. Michael Fassbender is much better, despite being hidden behind the mask; the assured professional, he never disappoints. Sadly, the movie is also saddled with Maggie Gyllenhaal, completely out of place and playing the most hateful character ever. FRANK bored me to tears and I hate the thought of sitting through it again.