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Rotten Tomatoes. Plot, just the plot, don't say "in the film" "or in the scene" just say the plot.
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| caption =
| caption =
| director = [[Jake Schreier]]
| director = [[Jake Schreier]]
| producer = [[Lance Acord]]<br>[[Sam Bisbee]]<br>[[Galt Niederhoffer]]
| producer = [[Lance Acord]]<br />[[Sam Bisbee]]<br />[[Galt Niederhoffer]]
| writer = Christopher D. Ford
| writer = Christopher D. Ford
| starring = [[Frank Langella]]<br>[[Susan Sarandon]]<br>[[Peter Sarsgaard]]<br>[[James Marsden]]<br>[[Liv Tyler]]
| starring = [[Frank Langella]]<br />[[Susan Sarandon]]<br />[[Peter Sarsgaard]]<br />[[James Marsden]]<br />[[Liv Tyler]]
| music = [[Francis and the Lights]]
| music = [[Francis and the Lights]]
| cinematography = Matthew J. Lloyd
| cinematography = Matthew J. Lloyd
| editing = Jacob Craycroft
| editing = Jacob Craycroft
| studio =
| studio =
| distributor = [[Samuel Goldwyn Films]]<br>[[Stage 6 Films]]
| distributor = [[Samuel Goldwyn Films]]<br />[[Stage 6 Films]]
| released = {{Film date|2012|01|20|Sundance Film Festival|2012|08|24|United States}}
| released = {{Film date|2012|01|20|Sundance Film Festival|2012|08|24|United States}}
| runtime =
| runtime =
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| language = English
| language = English
| budget =
| budget =
| gross =$3,260,873<ref>[http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=robotandfrank.htm Robot & Frank (2012) - Box Office Mojo<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
| gross = $3,260,873<ref name="mojo">{{cite web | url = http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=robotandfrank.htm | title = Robot & Frank (2012) | work = Box Office Mojo | publisher= IMDB }}</ref>
}}
}}
'''''Robot & Frank''''' is an American film directed by [[Jake Schreier]] and written by [[Christopher Ford]]. Set in the near future, it focuses on Frank, an aging jewel thief played by [[Frank Langella]], whose son buys him a caretaker [[robot]]. Resistant at first, Frank warms up to the robot when he realizes he can use it to restart his career as a [[cat burglar]]. It was the first feature film for both Ford and Schreier and received critical acclaim for its writing, production, and acting. It won the [[Alfred P. Sloan Prize]] at the [[2012 Sundance Film Festival]], tying with the [[Kashmiri people|Kashmiri]] film ''[[Valley of Saints (film)|Valley of Saints]]''.
'''''Robot & Frank''''' is an American film directed by [[Jake Schreier]] and written by [[Christopher Ford]]. Set in the near future, it focuses on Frank, an aging jewel thief played by [[Frank Langella]], whose son buys him a caretaker [[robot]]. Resistant at first, Frank warms up to the robot when he realizes he can use it to restart his career as a [[cat burglar]]. It was the first feature film for both Ford and Schreier and received critical acclaim for its writing, production, and acting. It won the [[Alfred P. Sloan Prize]] at the [[2012 Sundance Film Festival]], tying with the [[Kashmiri people|Kashmiri]] film ''[[Valley of Saints (film)|Valley of Saints]]''.


== Plot ==
== Plot ==
Set in the near future, the story centers on the family of an aging ex-convict and thief named Frank ([[Frank Langella]]), who lives alone and is experiencing increasingly serious mental deterioration and [[dementia]]. Frank's son Hunter ([[James Marsden]]), an [[attorney at law|attorney]] with a family of his own, grows tired of making weekly visits to his father's home, 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]].
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]]. Frank's son Hunter ([[James Marsden]]), is an [[attorney at law|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]].


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 [[crime|criminal]] ones, and can assist him in [[lock-picking]]. 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]].
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 [[crime|criminal]] ones, and can assist him in [[lock-picking]]. 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]].
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In the meantime, Frank's daughter Madison ([[Liv Tyler]]), 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. Frank insists on keeping the robot, and they commit one last heist, stealing jewels from Jake (Jeremy Strong), the rich young developer at the head of the library renovation project. 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. In order to cover his tracks, Frank is faced with the decision of whether or not to wipe the memory of his robot, even as his own memory rapidly deteriorates.
In the meantime, Frank's daughter Madison ([[Liv Tyler]]), 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. Frank insists on keeping the robot, and they commit one last heist, stealing jewels from Jake (Jeremy Strong), the rich young developer at the head of the library renovation project. 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. In order to cover his tracks, Frank is faced with the decision of whether or not to wipe the memory of his robot, even as his own memory rapidly deteriorates.


Frank returns to the library where he discovers that the librarian is actually his wife, whom he had forgotten. He then returns home where the robot convinces him to wipe his [[holographic memory]], as he is not a person and his sole reason for existence is to help Frank. Frank is then sent to a 'Brain Centre', where he receives help in coping with his [[dementia]]. The police do not recover the jewels, which, as Frank explains in a letter to Hunter in the last scene of the film, are hidden under the tomato plants in the garden that the robot made.
Frank returns to the library where he discovers that the librarian is actually his wife, whom he had forgotten. He then returns home where the robot convinces him to wipe his [[holographic memory]], as he is not a person and his sole reason for existence is to help Frank. Frank is then sent to a 'Brain Centre', where he receives help in coping with his [[dementia]]. The police do not recover the jewels, which Frank explains in a letter to Hunter, they are hidden under the tomato plants in the garden that the robot made.


== Cast ==
== Cast ==
Line 39: Line 39:
* [[Liv Tyler]] as Madison
* [[Liv Tyler]] as Madison
* Jeremy Strong as Jake
* Jeremy Strong as Jake
* [[Jeremy Sisto]] as Sheriff Rowlings<ref name="variety">{{cite web
* [[Jeremy Sisto]] as Sheriff Rowlings<ref name="variety">{{cite web | url=http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117946885/ | title=Robot & Frank | publisher=RBL | work=Variety | date=January 22, 2012 | accessdate=June 14, 2012 | author=Anderson, John}}</ref><ref name="arsarasota">{{cite web | url=http://artssarasota.com/2012-04-14/featured/review-robot-frank-offers-an-easygoing-gentle-charm/ | title=‘Robot & Frank’ offers an easygoing, gentle charm | work=Ars Sarasota | date=April 14, 2012 | accessdate=June 14, 2012 | author=Handelman, Jay}}</ref>
| url= http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117946885/
| title= Robot & Frank | publisher=RBL
| work= Variety
| date= January 22, 2012
| accessdate= June 14, 2012
| last= Anderson
| first= John
}}</ref><ref name="arsarasota">{{cite web
| date=April 14, 2012
| last= Handelman
| first= Jay
| title=‘Robot & Frank’ offers an easygoing, gentle charm
| url=http://artssarasota.com/2012-04-14/featured/review-robot-frank-offers-an-easygoing-gentle-charm/
| work=Ars Sarasota
| accessdate= June 14, 2012
}}</ref>


== Production ==
== Production ==
[[File:HONDA ASIMO.jpg|thumb|The [[Honda]] [[ASIMO]], an example of the current [[Japanese robotics]] technology that inspired the design of the robot in the film.]]
[[File:HONDA ASIMO.jpg|thumb|The [[Honda]] [[ASIMO]], an example of the current [[Japanese robotics]] technology that inspired the design of the robot in the film.]]
=== Development ===
=== Development ===
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]]. After graduation, Schreier directed [[music videos]] and [[commercials]] for companies like [[Absolut Vodka]] and [[Verizon]]. 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. This evolved into the screenplay for ''Robot & Frank.''<ref name="EVT">{{cite news | url=http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/get_out/movies/article_c8d5aaa6-f2c1-11e1-b913-001a4bcf887a.html | title=Director Jake Schreier talks “Robot and Frank” and dirty laundry | work=The East Valley Tribune | date=August 30, 2012 | accessdate=September 09, 2012 | author=Pizzello, Chris}}</ref>
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]]. After graduation, Schreier directed [[music videos]] and [[commercials]] for companies like [[Absolut Vodka]] and [[Verizon]]. 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. This evolved into the screenplay for ''Robot & Frank.''<ref name="EVT">{{cite news | url= http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/get_out/movies/article_c8d5aaa6-f2c1-11e1-b913-001a4bcf887a.html | title= Director Jake Schreier talks “Robot and Frank” and dirty laundry | work=The East Valley Tribune | date=August 30, 2012 | accessdate=September 09, 2012 | last=Pizzello |first= Chris}}</ref>


Ford had originally begun conceptualizing the story for the film in 2002. He and Schreier were interested in the rapid development of technology and its impact on the daily life of ordinary people. 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. According to Schreier, technology is "not bad or good but it will change the way we relate to each other. There’s no stopping it."<ref name="NYTfuture">{{cite news | url=http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/12/movies/in-robot-frank-technology-of-the-not-so-distant-future-on-display.html | title=From the Future, a Subtle Spark of Recognition In ‘Robot & Frank,’ Technology of the Not-So-Distant Future on Display | work=The New York Times | date=August 10, 2012 | accessdate=September 09, 2012 | author=Wortham, Jenna}}</ref>
Ford had originally begun conceptualizing the story for the film in 2002. He and Schreier were interested in the rapid development of technology and its impact on the daily life of ordinary people. 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. According to Schreier, technology is "not bad or good but it will change the way we relate to each other. There’s no stopping it."<ref name="NYTfuture">{{cite news | url= http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/12/movies/in-robot-frank-technology-of-the-not-so-distant-future-on-display.html | title=From the Future, a Subtle Spark of Recognition In ‘Robot & Frank,’ Technology of the Not-So-Distant Future on Display | work=The New York Times | date=August 10, 2012 | accessdate=September 09, 2012 | last=Wortham | first= Jenna}}</ref>


The futuristic smartphones and tablets featured in the film were designed by Justin Ouellette of [[Tumblr]], and the robot was created by [[Alterian]], a [[Los Angeles]]-based effects company notable for their costume design for [[Daft Punk]].<ref name="NYTfuture"/> The filmmakers wanted to emulate the style of caretaker robots that are currently being produced in Japan; inside the robot suit was a human actor, Rachael Ma.<ref name="NYTrobot">{{cite web | url=http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2012/08/17/movies/robot-images-2.html | title=Behind the Robots in ‘Robot & Frank’ | work=The New York Times | date=August 17, 2012 | accessdate=September 09, 2012}}</ref>
The futuristic smartphones and tablets featured in the film were designed by Justin Ouellette of [[Tumblr]], and the robot was created by [[Alterian]], a [[Los Angeles]]-based effects company notable for their costume design for [[Daft Punk]].<ref name="NYTfuture" /> The filmmakers wanted to emulate the style of caretaker robots that are currently being produced in Japan; inside the robot suit was a human actor, Rachael Ma.<ref name="NYTrobot">{{cite web | date=August 17, 2012 | last= | first= | url= http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2012/08/17/movies/robot-images-2.html | title=Behind the Robots in ‘Robot & Frank’ | work=The New York Times | accessdate=September 09, 2012}}</ref>


=== Filming ===
=== Filming ===
The film was shot in 20 days on a budget of 2.5 million dollars.<ref name="NYTfuture"/> Filming took place in the summer in [[upstate New York]]. 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 actor for two days of filming. 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.<ref name="NerdistThompson">{{cite web | url=http://www.nerdist.com/2012/08/director-jake-schreier-gets-robot-frank-with-us/ | title=Director Jake Schreier Gets (Robot &) Frank With Us | work=The Nerdist | date=August 23, 2012 | accessdate=September 09, 2012 | author=Thompson, Luke Y.}}</ref>
The film was shot in 20 days on a budget of 2.5 million dollars.<ref name="NYTfuture"/> Filming took place in the summer in [[upstate New York]]. 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 actor for two days of filming. 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.<ref name="NerdistThompson">{{cite web | url=http://www.nerdist.com/2012/08/director-jake-schreier-gets-robot-frank-with-us/ | title=Director Jake Schreier Gets (Robot &) Frank With Us | work=The Nerdist | date=August 23, 2012 | accessdate=September 09, 2012 | last=Thompson |first= Luke Y.}}</ref>


== Critical reception ==
== Reception ==
=== Critical response ===
{{Anchor|Critics}}
The film received mostly positive reviews from critics. [[Rotten Tomatoes]] gives the film a score of 85% based on reviews from 96 critics. The sites 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."<ref>http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/robot_and_frank/ [[Rotten Tomatoes]] [[Flixster]] 2013-01-24 </ref>


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.<ref name="LATTuran">{{cite web
The film received mostly positive reviews from critics. 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.<ref name="LATTuran">{{cite web | url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-et-mn-robot-and-frank-review-20120824,0,1636950.story | title=Movie review: 'Robot & Frank,' an odd couple with a twist | work=The Los Angeles Times | accessdate=September 09, 2012 | author=Turan, Kenneth}}</ref> Turan subsequently named ''Robot & Frank'' one of 2012's best films.<ref>{{cite web|last=Turan|first=Kenneth|title=Top 10 Films of 2012|url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-et-mn-year-in-review-best-movies-2012-pictures,0,4699738.photogallery|publisher=[[The Los Angeles Times]]|date=December 19, 2012|accessdate=December 19, 2012}}</ref> [[Peter Travers]] of ''[[Rolling Stone Magazine|Rolling Stone]]'' praised the "deceptive simplicity" of the film and singled out Langella's performance as "a master class in acting."<ref name="RSTravers">{{cite web | url=http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/reviews/robot-frank-20120816 | title=Robot & Frank | work=Rolling Stone Magazine | date=August 16, 2012 | accessdate=September 09, 2012 | author=Travers, Peter}}</ref> Noel Murray of [[The A.V. 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.<ref name="AVMurray">{{cite web | url=http://www.avclub.com/articles/robot-frank,84161/ | title=Robot & Frank | work=The A.V. Club | accessdate=September 09, 2012 | author=Murray, Noel}}</ref>
| last= Turan
| first= Kenneth
| date=
| url= http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-et-mn-robot-and-frank-review-20120824,0,1636950.story
| title= Movie review: 'Robot & Frank,' an odd couple with a twist
| work= [[Los Angeles Times]]
| accessdate= September 09, 2012
}}</ref> Turan subsequently named ''Robot & Frank'' one of 2012's best films.<ref>{{cite web
| last= Turan
| first= Kenneth
| date= December 19, 2012
| title= Top 10 Films of 2012
| url= http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-et-mn-year-in-review-best-movies-2012-pictures,0,4699738.photogallery
| publisher= [[The Los Angeles Times]]
| accessdate= December 19, 2012
}}</ref>
[[Peter Travers]] of ''[[Rolling Stone Magazine|Rolling Stone]]'' praised the "deceptive simplicity" of the film and singled out Langella's performance as "a master class in acting."<ref name="RSTravers">{{cite web
| date=August 16, 2012
| last= Travers
| first= Peter
| url= http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/reviews/robot-frank-20120816
| title=Robot & Frank
| work=Rolling Stone Magazine
| accessdate=September 09, 2012
}}</ref>
Noel Murray of [[The A.V. 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.<ref name="AVMurray">{{cite web
| date=
| last= Murray
| first= Noel
| url= http://www.avclub.com/articles/robot-frank,84161/
| title= Robot & Frank
| work= The A.V. Club
| publisher= The Onion
| accessdate= September 09, 2012
}}</ref>


== Awards ==
=== Awards ===
{{Anchor|Awards|Accolades}}
The film won the [[Alfred P. Sloan Prize]] at the [[2012 Sundance Film Festival]], tying with the Kashmiri film ''[[Valley of Saints (film)|Valley of Saints]]''.<ref name="sloanprize">{{cite web | url=http://www.sundance.org/press-center/release/alfred-p.-sloan-feature-film-prizes-awarded-to-robot-frank-and-valley-of-sa/ | title=Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prizes Awarded to Robot & Frank and Valley of Saints at 2012 Sundance Film Festival | publisher=Sundance Institute | work=The Sundance Institute | date=January 27, 2012 | accessdate=June 14, 2012}}</ref>
The film won the [[Alfred P. Sloan Prize]] at the [[2012 Sundance Film Festival]], tying with the Kashmiri film ''[[Valley of Saints (film)|Valley of Saints]]''.<ref name="sloanprize">{{cite web
| url= http://www.sundance.org/press-center/release/alfred-p.-sloan-feature-film-prizes-awarded-to-robot-frank-and-valley-of-sa/
| title= Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prizes Awarded to Robot & Frank and Valley of Saints at 2012 Sundance Film Festival
| publisher= Sundance Institute
| work= The Sundance Institute
| date= January 27, 2012
| author
| accessdate= June 14, 2012
}}</ref>


==see also==
== See also==


* [[Jake Schreier]]
* [[Jake Schreier]]

Revision as of 16:27, 24 January 2013

Robot & Frank
Directed byJake Schreier
Written byChristopher D. Ford
Produced byLance Acord
Sam Bisbee
Galt Niederhoffer
StarringFrank Langella
Susan Sarandon
Peter Sarsgaard
James Marsden
Liv Tyler
CinematographyMatthew J. Lloyd
Edited byJacob Craycroft
Music byFrancis and the Lights
Distributed bySamuel Goldwyn Films
Stage 6 Films
Release dates
  • January 20, 2012 (2012-01-20) (Sundance Film Festival)
  • August 24, 2012 (2012-08-24) (United States)
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$3,260,873[1]

Robot & Frank is an American film directed by Jake Schreier and written by Christopher Ford. Set in the near future, it focuses on Frank, an aging jewel thief played by Frank Langella, whose son buys him a caretaker robot. Resistant at first, Frank warms up to the robot when he realizes he can use it to restart his career as a cat burglar. It was the first feature film for both Ford and Schreier and received critical acclaim for its writing, production, and acting. It won the Alfred P. Sloan Prize at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, tying with the Kashmiri film Valley of Saints.

Plot

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. Frank's son Hunter (James Marsden), is 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.

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. 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.

In the meantime, Frank's daughter Madison (Liv Tyler), 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. Frank insists on keeping the robot, and they commit one last heist, stealing jewels from Jake (Jeremy Strong), the rich young developer at the head of the library renovation project. 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. In order to cover his tracks, Frank is faced with the decision of whether or not to wipe the memory of his robot, even as his own memory rapidly deteriorates.

Frank returns to the library where he discovers that the librarian is actually his wife, whom he had forgotten. He then returns home where the robot convinces him to wipe his holographic memory, as he is not a person and his sole reason for existence is to help Frank. Frank is then sent to a 'Brain Centre', where he receives help in coping with his dementia. The police do not recover the jewels, which Frank explains in a letter to Hunter, they are hidden under the tomato plants in the garden that the robot made.

Cast

Production

The Honda ASIMO, an example of the current Japanese robotics technology that inspired the design of the robot in the film.

Development

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. After graduation, Schreier directed music videos and commercials for companies like Absolut Vodka and Verizon. 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. This evolved into the screenplay for Robot & Frank.[4]

Ford had originally begun conceptualizing the story for the film in 2002. He and Schreier were interested in the rapid development of technology and its impact on the daily life of ordinary people. 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. According to Schreier, technology is "not bad or good but it will change the way we relate to each other. There’s no stopping it."[5]

The futuristic smartphones and tablets featured in the film were designed by Justin Ouellette of Tumblr, and the robot was created by Alterian, a Los Angeles-based effects company notable for their costume design for Daft Punk.[5] The filmmakers wanted to emulate the style of caretaker robots that are currently being produced in Japan; inside the robot suit was a human actor, Rachael Ma.[6]

Filming

The film was shot in 20 days on a budget of 2.5 million dollars.[5] Filming took place in the summer in upstate New York. 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 actor for two days of filming. 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.[7]

Reception

Critical response

The film received mostly positive reviews from critics. Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a score of 85% based on reviews from 96 critics. The sites 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."[8]

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.[9] Turan subsequently named Robot & Frank one of 2012's best films.[10] Peter Travers of Rolling Stone praised the "deceptive simplicity" of the film and singled out Langella's performance as "a master class in acting."[11] Noel Murray of The A.V. 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.[12]

Awards

The film won the Alfred P. Sloan Prize at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, tying with the Kashmiri film Valley of Saints.[13]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Robot & Frank (2012)". Box Office Mojo. IMDB.
  2. ^ Anderson, John (January 22, 2012). "Robot & Frank". Variety. RBL. Retrieved June 14, 2012.
  3. ^ Handelman, Jay (April 14, 2012). "'Robot & Frank' offers an easygoing, gentle charm". Ars Sarasota. Retrieved June 14, 2012.
  4. ^ Pizzello, Chris (August 30, 2012). "Director Jake Schreier talks "Robot and Frank" and dirty laundry". The East Valley Tribune. Retrieved September 09, 2012. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  5. ^ a b c Wortham, Jenna (August 10, 2012). "From the Future, a Subtle Spark of Recognition In 'Robot & Frank,' Technology of the Not-So-Distant Future on Display". The New York Times. Retrieved September 09, 2012. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  6. ^ "Behind the Robots in 'Robot & Frank'". The New York Times. August 17, 2012. Retrieved September 09, 2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  7. ^ Thompson, Luke Y. (August 23, 2012). "Director Jake Schreier Gets (Robot &) Frank With Us". The Nerdist. Retrieved September 09, 2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  8. ^ http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/robot_and_frank/ Rotten Tomatoes Flixster 2013-01-24
  9. ^ Turan, Kenneth. "Movie review: 'Robot & Frank,' an odd couple with a twist". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 09, 2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  10. ^ Turan, Kenneth (December 19, 2012). "Top 10 Films of 2012". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
  11. ^ Travers, Peter (August 16, 2012). "Robot & Frank". Rolling Stone Magazine. Retrieved September 09, 2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  12. ^ Murray, Noel. "Robot & Frank". The A.V. Club. The Onion. Retrieved September 09, 2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  13. ^ "Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prizes Awarded to Robot & Frank and Valley of Saints at 2012 Sundance Film Festival". The Sundance Institute. Sundance Institute. January 27, 2012. Retrieved June 14, 2012. {{cite web}}: Text "author" ignored (help)
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