Robot & Frank (2012): ****

Frank’s (Frank Langella) memory is starting to go, he can barely look after himself and he believes his son Hunter (James Marsden) is still at Princeton, despite having graduated over fifteen years ago. Frank’s few pleasures in his old age are shoplifting and flirting with the local librarian Jennifer (Susan Sarandon). Tired and frustrated at not being able to see his kids, due to spending ten hours every weekend to check on Frank, Hunter gives Frank a health-care aid robot to help to the chores and keep an eye on his health. At first, luddite Frank is annoyed by Robot’s (voiced by Peter Sarsgaard) presence but soon discovers that Frank can pick up many skills – like cooking, gardening and lock-picking. Frank devises a scheme to relive his glory days as a thief and con-man, with Robot as his trusty accomplice. 

Writer Christopher D. Ford incorporates into the plot the closure and renovation of the local library by the rich developer Jake (Jeremy Strong). Jake is replacing all the printed material with electronic copies and wants the library to be a hip place for youngsters to hang out, complete with blaring electro music and robotic staff. Jake’s smugness and the overhaul of his last remaining sanctuary outside of his home motivate Frank into action, in a bid to win Jennifer’s affection and take Jake down a notch. Ford also includes some interesting details about how artificial intelligence works in this world. Robot’s main aim is to help Frank’s health so he can lie if needed. Robot does not recognise state law as it wasn’t part of his initial programming, a big oversight from whoever designed his programming. These specific details add richness to this near future, which is not always reflected in the cinematography of Robot & Frank. Director Jake Schreier favours composition in his shots, but the lack of interesting camera movement means the film looks a bit flat in places. 

Robot & Frank’s strengths lie in its comedy and its performances. Frank Langella gives a dry humour to his lines, ‘I’m talking to an appliance’, but Langella never falls into a one-note performance as ‘curmudgeonly old man’. Frank possesses a slyness which allows him to deflect his children’s worry and avoid arrest. At points, Frank cheekily plays up his memory loss to his advantage in certain situations. Despite his faults and his frustrations, Frank is a warm, sometimes lonely character. As the voice of Robot, Peter Sarsgaard captures a surprising amount of humanity in Robot, even though he constantly reminds Frank he’s not a real person. Together, Robot and Frank make a sweet bickering pair. James Marsden and Liv Tyler give sympathetic performances as Frank’s children, Hunter and Madison respectively. Marsden is weary as the hard-working husband and father, who still has bitter feelings about Frank’s non-involvement in his childhood and sees technology as a blessing. In contrast, Tyler’s Madison is politically active and travels to help others in need; she finds robotic labour abhorrent and is distrustful towards Robot. Susan Sarandon is utterly beguiling as librarian Jennifer, who accepts that the world is changing and still tries to be a friend to Frank, despite his forgetfulness. Robot & Frank may hit all the comedic notes, but the emotional drama it seeks lies just out of reach for this film. 

Robot & Frank is a sweet and charming comedy about one older man’s struggle in a world of rapid memory loss and advancing technology.