An original quirky story with complex, intriguing characters

Rating: 10/10 (10 August 2015)

The film manages to walk a thin line of being a comedy about people with mental illnesses without making fun of them. It is a quirky comedy (similar comedic tone as a Wes Anderson film) that explores deeper themes of mental illness, accepting who you are (or aren't) and trying to release your inner creativity. It is completely imaginative and is unlike any other movie, yet it succeeds in remaining simple.
The movie follows Jon (Domhnall Gleeson) an average man attempting to cure his life- long writer's block. He soon meets a group of people witnessing their keyboardist attempting to drown himself in the ocean while being hauled off by the paramedics. This group is being led by none other than Frank (Michael Fassbender), the lead singer who performs and lives his day-to-day life wearing a giant mask. Of course, they are now in need of a new keyboardist and this provides Jon with the perfect opportunity of releasing his creative juices with a group of eccentric "weirdos."
That is all you need to know of the plot, even though the movie is not necessarily plot- centred. It isn't even about the quality of the music, but more often than not, you are constantly asking yourself "is this music actually good?" or "can this be considered music?" or "what is this sound?" It is much more of an experience and you eventually find yourself loving it because of the process of its creation. The movie is much more focused on its characters and how Jon learns to accept that he is completely in the ordinary. This is honestly one of my favourite movies, and has gotten better each time that I have watched it.
I cannot recommend this movie more, and it is a shame that it is not more known and appreciated (especially now that the same director has been nominated for an Oscar for his directorial work in the 2015 film, Room). Of course I can accept that it may not be everyone's taste, because it isn't necessarily a "haha" funny or a drama either and it is also an indie film, I do hope that more people come to appreciate - and hopefully come to love the artistry that is Frank.