Set in the near future, Robot & Frank follows the story of Frank (Frank Langella), an elderly ex-thief who lives alone in New York. With his memory slowly failing him, his worried son (James Marsden) buys him a robot to help around the house. Frank grudgingly accepts the help, only becoming more welcome to the idea when he discovers that the robot has no sense of right and wrong. Together, Frank and robot become partners in crime, setting up small heists that work to their advantage. But when Frank’s failing memory ends with him making a few small mistakes, will it spell disaster for the two or will they be able to play innocent?
I had never heard of this movie before last night. I found it while looking for a movie that me and my fiancé could go see in the theaters. Limited release, it was only playing at the Rave in Voorhees. So we made the trip over there and I must say it was well worth it. Robot & Frank is a science fiction/drama with a touch of comedy. One of the aspects of the movie that I really liked was that it showed a different side to robots. More times than not, science fiction movies have robots taking over the world. Instead, Robot & Frank depicted a world where robots work in harmony with their owners, helping them with chores around the house and, as in Frank’s case, being a good friend.
Grade: A
Casey Tingle 