FRANK

Ireland, 2014, 105 minutes, Colour.
Michael Fassbender, Domnhall Gleeson, Maggie Gylenhaal, Scoot Mc Nairy, Tess Harper, Francois Civil, Carla Azar.
Directed by Lenny Abrahamson.

A papier mache head? Actor Michael Fassbender hidden within this head? Leading a band? Composing music? Who is this character called Frank?

The writer of this film is Jon Ronson who, decades ago, was urgently requested to join in a band and play keyboard. The leader of the band, with the stage name of Frank Sidebottom, did wear a papier mache head, a kind of joke, concealing his identity but enabling him to do all kinds of things to entertain an audience. (This film is dedicated to him, Chris Sievey.).

While Frank certainly engages audience attention, the main character is Jon (reliving the screenwriters experience but with quite a number of changes in tone). The film opens with Jhn talking to himself, actually trying to compose songs which he does, walking, in the bus, in his room upstairs. But he also has an office job. He is played very effectively by Domnhall Gleeson.

At a club, he encounters Frank and his head and the smiling face drawn on the papier mache. He also encounters the PR man for the band, recovering the body of the dead keyboard player from the river. Jon receives a phone call at work and, thinking he is going for just one performance, he accepts the invitation to go and play keyboard. What happens is rather different. He is invited to go with the band to a retreat where they will practice and perfect the music that they want to record. Which takes almost a year – as evidenced by the very bearded Jon.

The bank is an eclectic lot. The PR man used to play keyboard and goes along the suicide path of his predecessor. Ominous for Jon. But, by this time, Jon has become a much stronger character, standing his ground, contributing to the music, becoming friendly with Frank but criticised and alienated from the other members, a Frenchman, a female drummer and a woman who looks perpetually unhappy, ready to attack at any moment, protective of Frank, Clara, played by Maggie Gylenhaal. Her unpredictable interactions with Jon range from severe and critical to open and sexual.

Ordinary audiences may be wondering about the music, whether it is the genuine article is or whether it is a weird concoction with nowhere to go.

And we keep wondering about Frank and whether he will remove his head. At one stage Jon thinks he will and takes a peak in the shower, but Frank is protecting his head in the shower with plastic.

All throughout the film there are visuals of words on screen, messages on Twitter, a growing number of people following Jon and his descriptions of what is happening with the band. There are also references to You Tube which has been placing videos of the activities of the band sent by Jon. This leads Frank to be persuaded that they should go to the United States from Ireland and go to a festival in Texas.

They do go, and they do get on stage, with Jon having persuaded Frank to tone down his experimental style for more easily accessible music and songs. But, with division in the group, Frank disappears.

The last part of the film has John tracking down Frank, going to visit his family, hearing some of the explanations, seeing Frank himself and understanding his mental condition.

The film is, to say the least, offbeat. Michael Fassbender does a good job of using his body language to communicate his character, despite his artificial head, and also sings well. It is an interesting tour-de-force of a performance, different from the many menacing characters Fassbender has been playing. Domnhall Gleeson reminds us that he is also a rising star.

The film was directed by Lenny Abrahamson, an interesting Irish director, with offbeat comedies like Adam and Paul, Garage, and a serious exploration of young adult responsibilities in What Richard Did.

1. Comic film? Serious? The touch of the weird?

2. An Irish production, the director and his career, perspectives on comedy?

3. Based on a true story, adapted, taking the comic elements, but moving towards eccentricity and mental illness?

4. Jon’s story, the opening, lyrics, composing songs, in the street, in the bus, at home? Ordinary man? At work? Meeting Don? The dead man in the river? The discussions about the keyboard player? Jon’s saying he could play? Receiving the message, going to the dark venue, playing the keyboard, the success? Frank hiring him? Thinking it would be for a day, but a long time? His basic timidity?

5. Audience impressions of Frank, his head, the face, the size, the expression? character, the voice, the music, singing? Practical issues of eating, showering with the plastic? The particular personality despite the head?

6. Clara, her severity, protecting Frank, affirming him? The clashes with Jon, attack, the sexual impulse?

7. The French musician, his disdain of Jon, the severity of the drummer? Their place in the group?

8. Don, his place in the group, previously playing keyboard, his experience, his mental illnesses, hanging himself?

9. Jon staying for a year, details of the rehearsals, compositions, the nature of the music, sound, the instruments, Frank singing, reflecting the music, the detail?

10. Frank, his being in charge, the difference from the other members of the band, his moves, composition, the device, finally recording?

11. Jon, social media, his communications by Twitter, the words and the signs on screen? His sending clips to you Tube? Frank and his reaction?

12. Jon, regaining some confidence, becoming something of an entrepreneur, the news of the Texas Festival? The decision to go, driving through America, meeting, dates? The background of the Festival? Frank, changing his music, making it more accessible, Clara supporting him? The others leaving? The build-up to the performance, Jon and Frank, getting ready, the dress? His failure and collapse?

13. Frank disappearing, Jon and his search, the reaction of the others, playing in a small venue?

14. Jon visiting Frank’s home, Frank without the head, ordinary, at work, at home, the discussions with his parents, their explanations? Frank and his childhood, mental illness, the head?

15. Jon and his experience of Frank, his own personal development?

16. The film based on a true story, of the writer and his playing keyboard, Frank Sidebottom, and the dedication to him?