Film Review: Frank (15) (U.K./Ireland 2014) (Director: Lenny Abrahamson),  The Filmhouse Cinema Screen One, Edinburgh, Monday 16.06.2014, 20:25

This is the film that uses the idea of British '90's Cult Icon Frank Sidebottom as jumping-off point for a story loosely related to incidents in Frank's life, though it is not about him. As was the case in the '90's Frank has a papier mache head, which you only see him not wear after an accident towards the end of the film. The story develops from a point of a keyboard player being required for Frank's band, and it is all presented from the perspective of the newcomer. 

I did find the film enjoyable and amusing, though here are my misgivings: 

The section at the end when you see him without the overlarge head, Frank's 'performance' is so clearly based upon how Daniel Johnston behaves in the brilliant documentary 'The Devil and Daniel Johnston' (2005), that it goes beyond Parody. Anyone who has not seen the documentary may have more time for Frank post-crash, I tended to see it as lazy & lame. 

The other misgiving I have is that within any scene where Frank has his overlarge head on, if you were to take away the overlarge head, I question whether the scenes would be seen as interesting, amusing, well acted etc. Since this applies to the vast majority of the film it feels almost like emperor's new-clothes, an elaborate con, which causes you to see what you are viewing as far greater than it actually is. If the only thing that causes it to be interesting is an overlarge head, is it really interesting at all? I did for a period think that to even cause these questions was a sign of it being great, though I was also aware at the same time that this was all part of the con.

The following rating is based upon the fact that I did enjoy and was amused, though I am not prepared to ignore the issues noted.

Rating: 04/10.