Advancing dementia and cat burgling are rarely the main themes of a sci-fi picture (also with robot in the title!), but Robot & Frank makes it work. Frank Langella plays the mentally declining Frank character who receives a robotic companion (voiced by Peter Sarsgaard) from his son as a sort of live-in nurse. The Robot is tasked with making sure Frank eats well and lives a generally more-healthy life-style than he is accustomed to. This of course infuriates the old curmudgeon; that is until he realizes that the robot has no qualms with helping him plan a robbery. Once Frank and Robot become a criminally inclined duo their relationship vastly improves. It even seems (as Robot had intended) that the comprehensive planning of the capers is good for Franks failing mind. The most beautiful scene in their companionship comes right near the end of the film (beware: spoilers), when Robot demands that Frank wipe his memory so his hard-drive cant be used as evidence in a trial. Its a touching bit of heartbreak that exemplifies just how emotional a human-machine relationship can be.
Joe Sippy grew up in Chicago and now resides in Los Angeles. He enjoys corn dogs, rap music, and horror movies. On weekends you can find him in the ocean, surfing very poorly.
