Let me be Frank…
When Jamie showed me the advert for the film ‘Frank’ a month or two ago, I was intrigued. Unsure, but intrigued all the same. He also showed me footage of Chris Sievey, whose alter ego ‘Frank Sidebottom’ was the inspiration for the film. Doning his signature paper-meche head, I really was unsure. I mean, that big head? That’s just plain weird.
So we watched it last week, and I was right – it was weird. But you know what? It was also very funny. (And I even came to like that big head.) It was quirky. It’s something completely different – and very welcome – in today’s cinema choices. It’s got soul and real, true feeling. I felt happy watching Frank – it brought smiles a-plenty, and the very occasional giggle, but little waves of sadness crashed too. It was bittersweet.
“Give a man a mask and he will show his true face.” – Oscar Wilde
Michael Fassbender, who starred as Frank, was excellent – playing a role so convincingly and connecting so deeply with the audience without us even seeing his face (well, not his real face) is no mean feat. Frank was endearing and charming. To view the world in the way that he does – such as feeling inspired from the simplest, most everyday things – has a real charm and sweetness to it that I can only describe it as such.
As enjoyable as it was, it did not really make much sense. But I don’t think it was meant to. Much like mental illness that the film alludes to – those afflicted are often those with the most brilliant and fascinating minds, but ‘normal’ people do not understand them or their thoughts. The film draws that contrast.
Curiosity makes us want to see the face behind the mask – but when we do, it’s unsatisfying. What made Frank special, and his spark, had been dimmed – he appears broken. We are not made aware of Frank’s specific illness, perhaps a poignant point – it makes his issues more ‘relatable’ for the audience if it’s not given a title – feeling more comfortable in life with a shield or indeed behind a mask (real or imagined!).
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