Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Case Study No. 0546: Jennifer (Robot & Frank)

ROBOT & FRANK - Trailer
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ROBOT & FRANK - In Theaters August 2012! http://robotandfrank-film.com/

Set in the near future, Robot and Frank is a story about memory and identity, family and friendship. Frank Weld, an aging dad and a retired jewel thief, is losing his memory. His only friend, Jennifer, the town librarian, enjoys his company while sadly indulging his memory slips. His grown-up children, Hunter and Madison are having trouble taking care of their dad, so Hunter does what any caring son does in the near future: installs a caretaker robot in his home.

Unfortunately, Frank is none too pleased by his new helper, finding his presence unnerving and alien. In his old age, Frank is uncomfortable with most technology; the robot's presence is, at first, annoying, and surreal. And yet, the robot quickly proves himself to be more than a machine or appliance. His programming is sophisticated; his demeanor is kind. He is, for all intents and purposes, a rational, caring friend. His advice and requirements that Frank eat healthier and exercise more, gradually succeed at improving Frank's health and well-being.

But as Frank's health improves, so do his ambitions. And above all else, the caretaker Robot is programmed to find an activity to keep its elderly charges active and engaged in their lives. Of course, the only activity that Frank has ever been truly engaged in is stealing things. He soon learns that the Robot will allow such pursuits as long as the risk/reward ratio is kept in balance. And so a new heist duo is born.
Tags: Samuel Goldwyn Films Robot & Frank Robot and Frank Movie Trailer Frank Langella Robot Susan Sarandon James Marsden Liv Tyler Peter Sarsgaard Comedy Drama Sci-Fi
Added: 2 months ago
From: samuelgoldwynfilmcom
Views: 40,137

From wikipedia.org:

Robot & Frank is an American film directed by Jake Schreier and written by Christopher Ford. In 2012, it won the Alfred P. Sloan Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, tying with the Kashmiri film Valley of Saints.

The children (James Marsden and Liv Tyler) of an aging ex-convict named Frank (Frank Langella) hire a robot (voiced by Peter Sarsgaard) to care for their aging father. Initially wary of the robots' presence in his life, Frank warms up to his new companion and uses him to commit a heist in order to win the affection of the local librarian (Susan Sarandon).

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From sundance.org:

"Robot & Frank" is a buddy caper. Set in the near future, aging curmudgeon and retired jewel thief Frank (Frank Langella) lives a solitary life until his son (James Marsden) installs a caretaker robot; against he and his daughter's (Liv Tyler) wishes. The robot upends Frank's lonely life - filled only with books and a visit to his favorite librarian (Susan Sarandon) - with a strict regimen of exercise, diet and gardening. Stubborn at first, Frank soon realizes Robot has the ability to pull off the most calculated of heists. An unlikely friendship, and crime duo, is born.

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From blogspot.com:

Frank (Langella) appears to be mellowing late in life after multiple long-term prison stretches for burglary and tax evasion. But in his later years, his son and daughter find that time has taken its toll on the old man as he seems to be suffering from memory losses that grow more frequent and increasing in severity. When Frank's son Hunter (James Marsden) fears his father may soon no longer be able to take care of himself, he takes matters into his own hands and purchases a robot to serve as a home health care aid to ensure his father is eating properly and doesn't endanger himself.

Unwilling to adapt to essentially having a babysitter, Frank is extremely resentful of his brand new robot and staunchly resists offers of assistance or advice. One of the few things keeping Frank mentally engaged in life is planning new robberies. As a frequent visitor to his town's library, the main reason he keeps returning is to see its librarian, Jennifer (Sarandon), who also looks forward to his visits. On one trip, Jennifer shows Frank a rare and highly-prized copy of the book "Don Quixote", which inspires his next heist. Learning he can teach his new robot how to pick locks, Frank enlists its aid as an accomplice in burglarizing the library. While he succeeds in lifting the book, he unwittingly leaves behind evidence causing him to be a suspect in the crime.

Meanwhile, the quaint, old-fashioned library is endangered when a consultant is brought in to renovate and update the space. Discovering that the wife of this well-to-do consultant has an expensive jewelry collection, Frank sees where his next job is going to be. Once again recruiting his trusty robot to support him in his venture, Frank and his assistant set out to case the house where the consultant and his wife live. But with advancing memory loss and escalating signs of senility, will Frank still be able to successfully pull off the job, even with the help of the robot?

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