Comment: Papier-mâché Frank is highly entertaining, but oddly clichéd

Dr Simon Keegan-Phipps, Lecturer in Ethnomusicology in the University of Sheffield's Department of Music, comments on Lenny Abrahamson's latest film, Frank. Papier-mâché Frank is highly entertaining, but oddly clichéd by Dr Simon Keegan-Phipps, 13 May 2014, posted on The Conversation The run up to the release of Lenny Abrahamson's latest film, Frank, was characterised by a certain amount of perplexity. Unsurprising, given the posters emblazoned with that enormous papier-mâché mask and (apparently) starring Michael Fassbender. Frank is the tale of budding keyboardist Jon Burroughs (played by Domhnall Gleeson) and his membership of a truly bizarre band, whose oeuvre could best be labelled "experimental" or "alternative". The film follows his attempts to unravel what it is his bandmates want from him and his music. This all takes place against an atmosphere of collective mental instability, ranging from the wonderfully entertaining to the deeply and increasingly disturbing. At the heart of the creativity is the worshipped frontman - Frank (Michael Fassbender) - whose musical and lyrical talents are celebrated by Jon's fellow musicians, but who is perhaps most notable for permanently sporting that enormous fake head.