Robot & Frank

2012

Robot & Frank

Critics Consensus

Led by a brilliant performance from star Frank Langella, Robot & Frank works as both a quirky indie drama and as a smart, thoughtful meditation on aging.

86%

TOMATOMETER

Total Count: 137

75%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 25,182
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Movie Info

Set in the near future, Frank, a retired cat burglar, has two grown kids who are concerned he can no longer live alone. They are tempted to place him in a nursing home until Frank's son chooses a different option: against the old man's wishes, he buys Frank a walking, talking humanoid robot programmed to improve his physical and mental health. What follows is an often hilarious and somewhat heartbreaking story about finding friends and family in the most unexpected places. -- (C) Samuel Goldwyn

Cast

Frank Langella
as Frank
Susan Sarandon
as Jennifer
James Marsden
as Hunter
Liv Tyler
as Madison
Peter Sarsgaard
as Robot
Jeremy Sisto
as Sheriff Rowlings
Jeremy Strong
as Jake
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Critic Reviews for Robot & Frank

All Critics (137) | Top Critics (39) | Fresh (118) | Rotten (19)

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Audience Reviews for Robot & Frank

  • Apr 06, 2015
    A former jewel thief in denial of his memory lapses is forced to live with a health care robot (not an inflatable one) who unwittingly becomes his accomplice in chasing the illicit burglary thrills that once landed the thief in the slammer but nevertheless gave meaning to his life. Robot is rather cute in its naïve approach to the world, but I find it hard to believe that the programmers didn't give him more common sense. The cold social interactions between Robot and the older biblio model, Mr. Darcy, are quite hilarious, and Susan Sarandon makes a nerdy/sexy librarian. The estranged father/son relationship as played by Frank Langella and James Marsden is compelling, but the human vs. robot rights debate broached by Liv Tyler's daughter character doesn't really go anywhere.
    Alice S Super Reviewer
  • Sep 11, 2014
    In "Robot & Frank," Frank(Frank Langella), a retired second story man, now spends his days walking to town where he visits Jennifer(Susan Sarandon), the librarian. Still, his son Hunter(James Marsden) worries about him. Not being able to make the five hour drive as often as he would like, he buys his father a robot helper. When the robot does not kill him in his sleep, Frank decides to bend the robot's morals a little... "Robot & Frank" is a modest, unassuming and touching movie about friendship and family, along with the passing of an era as it relates to books. It also benefits greatly from a superb performance from Frank Langella and a nuanced one by Susan Sarandon. But the movie ducks out of a refreshingly straight ahead examination of Alzheimer's Disease by playing some tricky mind games of its own. Plus, the Don Quixote reference is a little too obvious.
    Walter M Super Reviewer
  • Jan 01, 2014
    A great performance from Langella elevates this from merely enjoyable to something more essential and far more rewarding. Full review later.
    Thomas B Super Reviewer
  • Dec 16, 2013
    The always great Frank Langella makes the most of what he has here. Unfortunately a lot of it ends up being a sillier version of Lovely, Still without the appropriate gravity. The robot seems to make a lot of assumptions and thoughts as a human would rather than an artificial intelligence.
    John B Super Reviewer
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