Frank.
Frank is a 2014 black comedy film.
Cast[]
Singing cast[]
- Michael Fassbender - Frank
- Maggie Gyllenhaal - Clara Wagner
Non-singing cast[]
- Domnhall Gleeson - Jon Burroughs
- Scoot McNairy - Don
Plot[]
Jon lives in a small coastal town in England but aspires to be a songwriter. While walking along the beach, Jon witnesses a man trying to drown himself. The man is revived but taken to the hospital. Jon talks to Don, who explains the man was a keyboardist in an experimental band called the Soronprfbs, managed by him. Jon mentions that he plays keyboards and is invited to play with him in town that night. Jon goes along and meets the rest of the band, all of whom are reluctant about Jon, except for Frank, the band's leader who constantly wears a papier-mâché mask over his head. The concert goes well until Clara breaks her theremin and storms offstage.
Frank invites Jon to become a full-time member of the band. He accompanies them to Ireland, where they plan to record their debut album in a remote cabin until they get it done, which ends up being for the next year. Don becomes depressed and explains to Jon that he wants to be a songwriter, but is terrible. He plays a song for Jon, who compliments it. The next morning after completing work on their album, Jon finds what appears to be Frank's corpse hanging from a tree. He calls the rest of the band down and they remove the mask, only to find it was Don wearing one of Frank's masks. Don is cremated and it is revealed that Don was the original keyboard player. Jon reveals he has been posting the band's recording sessions on YouTube and Twitter. The Soronprfbs have gained a small fan following and have been invited to South by Southwest. Clara displays contempt to Jon and they end up having sex in the hot tub, but she threatens to stab him if the trip to America screws up.
Upon arrival in Texas, Jon, Frank, Clara, Baraque and Nana stop to scatter Don's ashes but realise Baraque accidentally picked up some of Frank's powdered food. Things start to break down as the performance draws near. There are creative differences and many arguments. On the day of the concert, Clara and Frank disappear. Jon finds them in an alley where Clara is trying to calm Frank down after suffering a mental breakdown, Jon tries to reason with Frank but Clara stabs Jon in the leg and runs away. She is later arrested by the police. The drummer Nana and bassist Baraque reveal their strong hatred for Jon and quit the band, returning to England the night before the concert. At the concert, only Jon and Frank remain of the band. As they go onstage, Frank refuses to sing, forcing Jon to sing one of his songs. Frank dislikes it and suffers a nervous breakdown and collapses on stage. After they move into a motel, Jon attempts to reason with Frank, which ends in them arguing and Jon trying to remove Frank's head. Frank runs out of the motel room and is hit by a car, smashing the fake head. Jon gives chase but realises Frank has escaped, now without the fake head.
Sometime later, Jon has attempted to track down Frank, but all his attempts have failed. He finally succeeds in tracking Frank to his hometown of Bluff, Kansas, where he is living with his parents. They explain that Frank has suffered from severe mental health issues all his life and began wearing the mask as a teenager after his Dad made it for him. Jon finally sees Frank without a mask. Frank's face and head are scarred from years of wearing the mask. Jon takes Frank to a bar, where Clara, Nana and Baraque are playing as a trio. Frank approaches the band and they realise who he is. He begins singing and they start playing with him, while Jon watches while smiling. As Frank sings, Jon leaves the bar.
Musical numbers[]
- "The Ginger Crouton" - Frank
- "Lone Standing Tuft" - Frank
- "Breathe" - Frank
- "Broken " - Frank
- "On Top of Old Smokey" - Clara
- "Frank's Most Likeable Song" - Frank
- "Lighthouse Keeper" - Clara
- "I Love You All" - Frank
- "Tuft" - Frank