Check This One Out! - Frank

Frank

Jon Burroughs: "Can I ask you something?"

Frank: "Sure."

Jon Burroughs: "Why do you wear that?"

Frank: "...do you think it's weird?"

Jon Burroughs: "Kinda."

Frank: "Well, normal faces are weird too.You know, the way they're smooth...smooth...smooth...and blech! You know? All bumpy and holes, I mean, what are eyes like? It's like a science fiction movie. Don't get me started on lips. Like the edges of a severe wound."

Jon Burroughs: "That's true. But your head is still sort of intimidating."

Frank: "Well, underneath it I'm giving you a welcoming smile.Would it help if I said my facial expressions out loud?"

Jon Burroughs: "Well...maybe."

Frank: "Welcoming smile."

      Frank is directed by Lenny Abrahamson (Room, What Richard Did) and stars Domhnall Gleeson as Jon Burroughs, Michael Fassbender as Frank, Maggie Gyllenhaal as Clara, Scoot McNairy as Don, Carla Azar as Nana, and Francois Civil as Baraque.

Just letting you know, Michael Fassbender does not actually have a giant paper mache head in real life.

      An aspiring musician, Jon randomly encounters a garage band with a lead singer that wears a large paper mache head everywhere and at all times. Jon joins this electronic/pop/alternative band after being offered a role by manager Don, but soon finds out that maybe he took on a bigger challenge than he anticipated, what with weird Frank being weird Frank, jealous Clara being jealous Clara, and Nana and Baraque being...themselves. Fun trips, awkward scenarios, and awesome head banging music take over this critically acclaimed independent film.

I mean, I've heard about being drugged up when you're trying to make an album, but c'mon. I would freak the hell out if I was jamming with a guy like this!

      Frank is not only weird as hell, but it's also beautiful. Kind of the same tropes that an independent movie needs to be successful; it pushes the boundaries that blockbusters usually are contained in. I think that this particular movie is successful in that way because of Frank and the story. First of all, Michael Fassbender has always fascinated me in the roles he has chosen; from the sinister mutant in the X-Men series to a hunger-striking prison inmate in Hunger. I honestly think his performance in Frank is the strangest, yet most brilliant choice he's made in his acting career thus far. A front man of a band who is too insecure about his creative music skills without his paper mache head? You can definitely check the box that says '10' on the originality scale. Even with the very talented Michael Fassbender as the covered Frank, the rest of the cast is on their A game to compete with Fassbender's performance, especially Domhnall Gleeson who has a lot of screen time shared with the fake head. Gleeson's Jon Burroughs has the biggest character arch than any other characters in this film because of Frank's influence. He goes from nice guy to coward to bully to other, I guess, strange personalities. Frank is like the zombie apocalypse in this whole movie. By that, I mean that he impacts everyone's role in the band and in life. I wouldn't say he is the person to be focused on throughout the whole movie, but when you see his big fake head, you say to yourself "I would loooooove to see more of this guy".

An experience to remember, right Domhnall?

      If you like fresh ideas, I really mean FRESH, then check out Frank. It's odd, sweet, and has kick ass music. The music is also one of those fresh ideas because you just don't hear this type of alternative music in mainstream media anymore. Anyways, Michael Fassbender has a hilarious role to pull off in Frank and he does it extremely well. The rest of the cast, including Domhnall Gleeson's excellent performance, is spectacular. I think I'm actually going to go online and listen to the soundtrack to Frank now. Just think about it, a movie about a guy with a paper mache head has influenced my music taste so much that I actually enjoy music that's "way out there"...Awesome!

YEAH! ROCK ON, FRANK!

Frank is rated R for language and some sexual content

Click here to watch the trailer

Frank is available on DVD, Blu-ray, some streaming services, and digital download 

      Thanks for reading, everybody! I really do appreciate it. Please subscribe to my blog and follow me on Facebook here and Twitter here to get updates on new reviews and trailer drops. Also, if you've already seen Frank, comment and let me know what you think of it. I'll post another Check This One Out! next week. Thanks again!