Late comedian and pop star Chris Sievey, one day popped up a giant papier mache mask on his head, became ‘Frank Sidebottom’, and tried to sing songs that were totally odd and eccentric from the regular ones. His music was said to be bit annoying and has only enjoyed an outsider status till his death. British film-maker Lenny Abrahamson’s “Frank” (2014) – the title character – wears such a giant head mask and is the leader of an unutterable avant-rock band called ‘Soronprfbs’. ‘Frank’ isn’t a biopic of Sievey, although the script (written by Jon Ronson) was loosely based on the writer’s brief stint as touring keyboard player with Sievey’s ‘Oh Blimey Big Band’. A-list Star Micheal Fassbender plays ‘Frank’, hiding himself behind that giant head mask, and the movie is an entirely different kind of beast; one that is bizarre, audacious and unpredictable.
The film starts in the most amusing manner, as the aspiring
musician Jon (Domnhall Gleeson) tries to come up with a song, while staring at
different things in his dilapidated coastal town. He sings different
deplorable, uninspired verses to himself, throughout the day (“Ladies have babies,
that how it works….”; “Lady in the redcoat, what you doing with that bag…..”). Jon
leads an uneventful life. He lives with his parents and has a boring desk job.
However, his dream to become a musician comes true, when he meets the
avant-garde rock band called ‘Soronprfbs’, whose keyboard player tries to drown
himself in the beach. The band’s manager, Don (Scoot McNairy) immediately asks
Jon to participate in the gig, that same night.
The crowd is minimal, but the Jon is enamored by the band’s
mysterious leader Frank. The songs consist of random words, sung without any
harmonic intent. Frank wears a pumpkin-sized fake head, and never takes it off.
He sips only liquid meals, and even his band mates haven’t seen him without the
mask. The band members are also as odd as Frank: theremin player, Clara (Maggie Gyllenhaal), who is prone to sudden outbursts; a distant French bass player
Baraque (Francois Civil); and the stark percussionist Nana (Carla Azar). Don,
the band’s manager, has been a resident of psychiatric hospital, where he has
met Frank. Don also has a thing for ‘mannequins’.
Jon immediately jumps on board, when the band decides to
camp at Ireland to write and record an album. Frank’s obsession to attain a new
musical scale, wrings out many days. When money runs out, Jon contributes his
‘nest egg’. Jon is convinced about Frank’s musical talents. He believes Frank’s
talents have come from mental illness and miserable childhood (“Miserable
childhood, mental illness … How do I find that sort of inspiration?”). After 11
months, without composing a single song, Jon is devastated, but belief that
this is the miserable childhood he never had, and that this might lead him to
write and compose excellent songs.
On the surface, “Frank”, might look like a light comedy, but
at times it veers into the dark territory, where artist’s obsession leads to
insanity. It is also a fine exploration of an artist’s grand vision that
conflicts with his mediocre talents. The move takes on the myths surrounding
pop singers. Jon believes that only mental illness or hard-won experience could
give great talents that Frank boasts (conventional wisdom says: “great art is
often created by troubled individuals”). He could never accept the fact Frank
might be naturally good in writing songs. The movie is also about fame and the
paradox it carries with itself. Jon blogs, and posts videos on ‘Youtube’,
showcasing the band members’ eccentric antics. Slowly the fame, he envied
reaches him through social media. He and his band is recognized, but only later
it dawns on him that the fame haven’t made them out to be the innovative musicians, but just as a band of
freaks.
Fame is what changes Frank too, making him drastic. He wants
people to like his songs and his band, but he isn’t able to handle the fame.
This is where the movie asks that enigmatic question – what’s better for an
eccentric, talented artist: to safely and satisfyingly work within a confined
realm? Or tweak it a bit, giving the ‘likeable’ treatment, and in the process
attain money and fame. The third act – the trip to America – seemed a bit
conventional. It lacked unpredictability and the compelling nature of previous
acts, but the ending was moving. It is also important to note that all the
spiky songs (including the final one) were all performed live by the cast.
The performances are all uniquely excellent. There is an
irony in seeing an A-list star hiding behind a mask for most of the film’s
running time. However, Fassbender works wonders with his sheer physical
presence. His perfect body language showcases Frank as an unbridled energy
source as well as a puppet, waiting to be moved by its master. Gyllenhaal gives
an excellent performance as Clara that is both passive and dynamic. She is the
only character, who seems to understand Frank and that he can’t survive in the
mainstream world.
“Frank” (95 minutes) isn’t a movie that caters to all
tastes. It goes beyond being an eccentric comedy, as it profoundly examines the
outsider or misunderstood art.
Trailer
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