| [1] The filmmakers wanted to emulate the style of caretaker robots made in Japan, and the design also needed to allow a human actor inside the robot suit, played by Rachael Ma.[6]. 8/22/12 12:00PM. Robot and Frank. A former jewel thief with dementia, Frank, receives a gift from his son - a robot butler programmed to take care of his every need. Synopsis Cast Bonnie Bentley, Frank Langella, James Marsden, Jeremy Sisto, Jeremy Strong, Liv Tyler, Rachael Ma, Susan Sarandon Robot and Frank is the inspired work of a pair of first-time filmmakers. Young woman: Oh, … Robot & Frank is a 2012 American science fiction comedy-drama film directed by Jake Schreier and screenplay by Christopher Ford. Frank spends his time lounging and reading, he the last person in Cold Spring regularly to check books out of the library, as much for the books themselves as just to go to the library in being attracted to the human librarian, Jennifer. Club, while critical of what he saw as a film "more concerned with telling a story and moving an audience than challenging anyone," recommended it overall as "sturdily crafted" and well-acted. He's still able to feed and care for himself and walk into town to get books from the library, but he's becoming forgetful. Young woman surprises him: Have you smelled our lavender heart soaps? Robots and androids have frequently been depicted or described in works of fiction. [11] Robot and Frank, after starting with a bit of fish-out-water acclimation, settles into a surprisingly poignant and honest look at the difficulties brought on by mental illness. Frank is a man who lives alone in a bucolic house in upstate New York and is somewhere along the slope into dementia. Robot And Frank. Robot & Frank. Bestowed a caretaker robot capable of offering engaging interaction and tending to basic household chores, Frank at first resents his android helper. ROBOT & FRANK Review. PG-13 1 hr 25 min Jan 20th, 2012 Drama, Crime, Science Fiction, Comedy. Robot & Frank was the first feature film for both Schreier and Ford, and received critical acclaim for its writing, production, and acting. [1] Filming took place in the summer in upstate New York. The robot and Frank make a predictable odd couple, one that the first-time feature director Jake Schreier, working from Christopher D. Ford’s script, tries to sell with smiles and soft comedy. Select from premium Robot And Frank of the highest quality. Later in the story, Frank is convinced that there is actually more to the Robot than just hardware. The film is set in the near future where people use technology on a daily basis to help them with the daily tasks. "Robot & Frank" tells the story of relationship between a retired burglar and a household appliance more relentless than an alarm clock. But soon the two companions try their luck as a heist team. It won the Alfred P. Sloan Prize at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, tying with the Kashmiri film Valley of Saints by Musa Syeed. They are tempted to place him in a nursing home until Frank’s son chooses a different option: against the old man’s wishes, he buys Frank a walking, talking humanoid robot programmed to improve his physical and mental health. [7], The film received mostly positive reviews from critics. In the near future, long divorced aged cat burglar Frank Weld, who has spent time in prison in the past for his crimes, is living alone in retirement in his isolated house in Cold Spring, New York. In the near future, an ex-jewel thief receives a gift from his son: a robot butler programmed to look after him. Frank then moves into a full-time care facility to help him cope with his dementia. Robot and Frank was also strong with an average of $17,770 in two theaters, while Compliance was right behind with $16,427 in one theater. TV Series/Movies I've seen in 2021 so far... Set in the near future, an aging ex-convict and thief named Frank (Frank Langella) lives alone and is experiencing increasingly serious mental deterioration and dementia. As Frank won't even consider being institutionalized in stating that there is nothing wrong with his mind, Hunter decides that the next best option is to purchase the latest state-of-the-art model robot for his father as Frank's primary caregiver. His grown children are concerned about their father’s well-being and buy him a caretaker robot. 70. 2. The word "robot" itself comes from a work of fiction, Karel Čapek's play, R.U.R. The library is the Rye Free Reading Room in Rye, New York. Parents Guide. If you have seen the film you know that Peter Sarsgaard is the voice of the robot but as Rachael puts it “people…literally think the robot IS a robot”. 2012 88 minutes. If Frank does not listen to the robot than the robot tells him what will happen if he does not listen. [9], Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times called it "charming, playful, and sly" and praised the first-time filmmakers' technical polish and choice to focus on classic themes of aging and human frailty. In "Robot & Frank," Frank(Frank Langella), a retired second story man, now spends his days walking to town where he visits Jennifer(Susan Sarandon), the librarian. But he transforms that larceny into something a little more grand when he believes that the person heading the library redevelopment, his neighbor Jake, and Jake's wife Ava are benefiting a little too much from this and all their other projects than they should. The police become involved and begin to question and monitor Frank, who maintains his innocence, feigning deathly illness so that Hunter will return to see him. Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a score of 86% based on reviews from 139 critics. Rachael Ma talks about her role in "Robot & Frank". Resistant at first, Frank warms up to the robot when he realizes he can use it to restart his career as a cat burglar. That library experience will soon be changing in a renovation where the books will be no more, except for the most expensive first editions of classics, with the physical building transformed more into a place of experience than a place to house books to check out. In his first feature, director Jake Schreier (PAPER TOWNS, LODGE 49) delivers both a quirky drama and a meditation on aging in ROBOT & FRANK. Together, the two commit a heist in order to win the affection of the local librarian (Susan Sarandon): they steal an antique copy of Don Quixote from the library, which is being renovated and turned into a community center in the wake of declining interest in print media. Peter Travers of Rolling Stone praised the "deceptive simplicity" of the film and singled out Langella's performance as "a master class in acting. Frank's son Hunter (James Marsden), an attorney with a family of his own, grows tired of making weekly visits to his father's home, but is reluctant to put his father into fulltime care, so he purchases a robot companion (voiced by Peter Sarsgaard), which is programmed to provide Frank with therapeutic care, including a fixed daily routine and cognitive enhancing activities like gardening. Later, when the future of the local library is threatened, Frank falls back into his old ways and discovers that his robot also doubles as a competent criminal sidekick. Robot And Frank. In spending time with the robot, Frank learns that its programming is solely in aid of his health, and while it does know all other "dictionary" concepts, does not place judgment on what is considered morally right or wrong outside of that primary goal of Frank's health. Robot and Frank is out NOW on DVD! The site's consensus is "Led by a brilliant performance from star Frank Langella, Robot & Frank works as both a quirky indie drama and as a smart, thoughtful meditation on aging. This evolved into the screenplay for Robot & Frank. 16K likes. Set in the near future, Frank, a retired cat burglar, has two grown kids who are concerned he can no longer live alone. They are tempted to place him in a nursing home until Frank’s son chooses a different option: against the old man’s wishes, he buys Frank a walking, talking humanoid robot programmed to … Frank insists on keeping the robot, and they commit one last heist, stealing jewels from Jake, the rich young developer at the head of the library renovation project. As Frank tries to restart his old profession, the uncomfortable realities of a changing world and his worsening dementia threaten to take beyond what any reboot can do for him. (2012) Stream and Watch Online. This list of fictional robots and androids is chronological, and categorised by medium. Frank goes to the library where he discovers that Jennifer is his ex-wife, which he had forgotten. He then returns home where the robot convinces him to wipe its holographic memory; it argues that it is not a real person and its sole reason for existence is to help Frank, which it can best do by helping him avoid jail. Frank gets angry when Madison treats the robot like a slave rather than a person. In order to cover his tracks, Frank is faced with the decision of whether to wipe the memory of his robot, even as his own memory rapidly deteriorates. He is in his early stages of dementia and lives alone in his house. Summary: Set in the near future, Frank, a retired cat burglar, has two grown kids who are concerned he can no longer live alone. The main purpose of the robot was to help Frank stay fit physically and mentally. [14], "From the Future, a Subtle Spark of Recognition In 'Robot & Frank,' Technology of the Not-So-Distant Future on Display", "Director Jake Schreier talks 'Robot and Frank' and dirty laundry", "Director Jake Schreier Gets (Robot &) Frank With Us", "Movie review: 'Robot & Frank,' an odd couple with a twist", "Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prizes Awarded to Robot & Frank and Valley of Saints at 2012 Sundance Film Festival", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Robot_%26_Frank&oldid=1016311428, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 6 April 2021, at 14:11. As such, Frank, with the robot by his side as his new best friend, decides the robot can help him get back into the game of larceny primarily in an effort to do something nice for Jennifer before the books are destroyed. Unlike more dystopian portrayals of the rise of technology in modern cinema, the filmmakers wanted Robot & Frank to explore the subject without any particular moral undercurrent. But soon the two companions try their luck as a heist team. Though frequent trips to the local library keep him physically active and mentally stimulated, there's little question that his memory isn't what it used to be, and lately his grown children have begun to express concern over the fact that he lives alone. Add to Wishlist. In the near future, Frank is a retired catburglar living alone while his successful son, Hunter, tries to care for him from afar. Taglines The movie was interesting, pointed out some of the problem that elders face and the miss-use of the robot. (Rossum's Universal Robots), written in 1920 and first performed in 1921. Though Ma was initially tasked with providing Langella with the robot's lines, it became impossible for her to perform both the physical acting and lines simultaneously, and the task was given to Langella's nephew, who was a production assistant on the set. Resistant at first, Frank warms up to the robot when he realizes he can use it to restart his career as a cat burglar. This was the first feature film for both Ford and Schreier, who were friends and classmates at the New York University Tisch School of the Arts. He and Schreier were interested in the rapid development of technology and its impact on the daily life of ordinary people. Rachael Ma stands at just under 5 feet and can currently be seen in the role of the robot opposite Frank Langella in “Robot & Frank”. Noel Murray of The A.V. Together, the two commit a heist in order to win the affection of the local librarian, Jennifer: they steal an antique copy of Don Quixote from the library, which is being renovated and turned into a community center in the wake of declining interest in print media. Set in the near future, Frank, a retired cat burglar, has two grown kids who are concerned he can no longer live alone. Around 2008, the two began discussing a feature-length project to collaborate on and chose the screenplay that had been Ford's senior thesis at Tisch, which Schreier had helped produce. Frank (Langella) is a former criminal living out his twilight years in quiet solitude. Frank's son Hunter, an attorney with a family of his own, grows tired of making weekly visits to his father's home without his kids, but is reluctant to put his father into full-time care, so he purchases a robot companion, which is programmed to provide Frank with therapeutic care, including a fixed daily routine and cognition-enhancing activities like gardening. His routine involves daily visits to his local library, where he has a twinkle in his eye for the librarian. 37. TMDb Score. An aging thief with a fading memory finds his love for larceny reinvigorated after receiving a companion robot from his concerned son in this tender Sci-Fi comedy-drama starring Academy Award nominee Frank Langella. Ek Tha Tiger didn't quite reach the $10,000 club over the weekend with an average of $9,655, but it was a Wednesday release, so had it opened on Friday, it likely would have easily made the cut. : Science Fiction at its Absolute Best. In the near future, an ex-jewel thief receives a gift from his son: a robot butler programmed to look after him. Like I said, the movie sneaks up on you. $12.99 Buy HD. Frank lives alone in a small village, and most of his daily interaction is with the local librarian. http://amzn.to/XjDb74 - Robot and Frank is out in UK cinemas 8th March Add to Wishlist. But in time he lets his guard down and begins to actually enjoy the companionship of his new domestic partner. Set in the near future, it focuses on Frank Weld, an aging jewel thief, played by Frank Langella, whose son buys him a domestic robot. 2012 88 minutes. Charlie Jane Anders. | They are tempted to place him in a nursing home until Frank’s son chooses a different option: against the old man’s wishes, he buys Frank a walking, talking humanoid robot programmed to improve his physical and mental health. "[1], The futuristic smartphones and tablets featured in the film were designed by Justin Ouellette of Tumblr, and the robot was created by Alterian, Inc., a Los Angeles-based effects company notable for their costume design for Daft Punk. Due to his worsening dementia, Frank’s son Hunter gives him a home-care robot. Set in the near future, Frank, a retired cat burglar, has two grown kids who are concerned he can no longer live alone. He would deny it if told, but he is in some stage of Alzheimers, he forgetting things such as his favorite restaurant in town, Harry's, where he says he ate "yesterday", long having closed. Plot Keywords Curmudgeonly old Frank lives by himself. ROBOT & FRANK is a hilarious and heartwarming story about finding friends and family in the most unexpected places. During a visit from his family, he slips Hunter a note, implying that the jewels are hidden under the tomato plants in the garden that the robot made. Clip # 2 shows how Frank discovers that the Robot would actually be able to assist him. Frank says, in his own words, “ [I] don’t want a robot, and don’t need a robot”. Robot & Frank is a movie about an old retired man name Frank. According to Schreier, the heat caused the person inside of the robot suit, dancer Rachael Ma, so much discomfort that she had to be replaced with another actress, Dana Morgan, for two days of filming. Set in the near future, it focuses on Frank Weld, an aging jewel thief, played by Frank Langella, whose son buys him a domestic robot. Frank, a retired cat burglar, has two grown kids who are concerned he can no longer live alone. 40. Initially wary of the robot's presence in his life, Frank warms up to his new companion when he realizes the robot is not programmed to distinguish between legal recreational activities and criminal ones, and can assist him in lock-picking. Set in the near future, Frank, a retired cat burglar, has two grown kids who are concerned he can no longer live alone. But Frank use the robot to commit crime. Men Can't Keep House: When he's living by himself, Frank's home is fairly slovenly. $3.99 Rent HD. He is beginning to anthropomorphize the Robot and would not even be convinced otherwise by the Robot himself, as we can see in Clip # 3. Matt reviews Jake Schreier's Robot & Frank starring Frank Langella, James Marsden, Liv Tyler, and Susan Sarandon. "[8] On Metacritic it has a score of 67% based on reviews from 33 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Finally, Hunter gets him a robot caretaker, but Frank soon learns that it is as useful as a burglary aide. There’s no stopping it. Frank's son Hunter (James Marsden), an attorney with a family of his own, grows tired of making weekly visits to his father's home, but is reluctant to put his father into fulltime care, so he purchases a robot companion (voiced by Peter Sarsgaard), which is programmed to provide Frank with therapeutic care, including a fixed daily routine and cognitive enhancing activities like gardening. [13], The film won the Alfred P. Sloan Prize at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, tying with the Kashmiri film Valley of Saints. Hulu's line-up is growing during the month of May, … Robot & Frank review. With Peter Sarsgaard, Frank Langella, Susan Sarandon, Liv Tyler. Initially wary of the robot's presence in his life, Frank warms up to his new companion when he realizes the robot is not programmed to distinguish between legal recreational activities and criminal ones, and can assist him in lock-picking. Directed by Jake Schreier. Robot and Frank. While the robot does not sit well with Hunter's sister Madison Weld as Hunter shirking his responsibility, she who is on the other side of the world working on a humanitarian project, it sits even less well with Frank who sees the robot as an intrusion on his life, an intrusion that has no "off" button. Director. Robot and Frank. The film was shot in 20 days on a budget of 2.5 million dollars. After graduation, Schreier directed music videos and commercials for companies like Absolut Vodka and Verizon. When Robot & Frank attend an event honoring the opening of the new library, Frank decides to take his work with Robot to … In the meantime, Frank's daughter Madison, who is away on a philanthropic trip in Turkmenistan, learns of the robot and returns to convince her father to get rid of the machine, which she finds ethically objectionable. Find the perfect Robot And Frank stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. "Friendship doesn't have an off switch". Set in the near future, Frank, a retired cat burglar, has two grown kids who are concerned he can no longer live alone. Frank & Robot break into the library disguised in all black—Robot’s black cape of course proves more hilarious than inconspicuous—and steal an original copy of Don Quixote to give to Jennifer. [Robot & Frank are walking through a small knick-knack shop in the town. Comedy. 205. According to Schreier, technology is "not bad or good but it will change the way we relate to each other. [10] Turan subsequently named Robot & Frank one of 2012's best films. "[12] Name and Name: Robot and Frank; Never Given a Name: Frank's robot is never named. Robot & Frank is a 2012 American science fiction comedy-drama film directed by Jake Schreier and screenplay by Christopher Ford. His son, Hunter Weld, who resents his father for being a non-existent person in his life while he was growing up, acts as Frank's primary caregiver as the family member geographically closest - a ten hour round trip drive - but Hunter is finding that the amount of work he has to do in his weekly trips to clean the house, plus the time is becoming too much, especially as he has his own family to consider. They are tempted to place him in a nursing home until Frank's son chooses a different option: against the old man's wishes, he buys Frank a walking, talking humanoid robot programmed to improve his physical and mental health. New On Amazon Prime Video In May 2021: The Underground Railroad, Robot & Frank, And More. Comedy. An aging, cantankerous ex-cat burglar (Oscar nominee Frank Langella, FROST/NIXON, THE BOX) finds his zest for life renewed when he trains his robotic caretaker to help him commit heists. [Frank smells a soap] R: We should be going, Frank. 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