Uncle Frank

The movie rarely takes the easy way out of a scene, and the observational details can be rich.

Uncle Frank feels like a memoir, and also feels extraordinarily true, and fresh, thanks to the untrammeled terrain it visits, at least in New York.

For the first half of the picture, Bettany’s soft, contemplative performance investigates Frank’s self-hatred with such beauty that the re-introduction of the rest of the family feels like a detriment, despite the talent of the cast.

Those moments that land, whether funny or moving, occur when Ball isn’t getting in his own way and instead trusts in the characters he’s written and the actors who are performing them. Overall, the film works, but there are times during this road-trip saga where one wishes Ball would apply the brakes.

Its mix of coming-of-age and homecoming stories doesn’t fully gel, but Uncle Frank is a funny and entertaining road movie with likeable performances – just brace for a closing dollop of sentimentality.

When the distance between uncle and niece shortens, Uncle Frank ceases to be a tender portrait of outsider kinship and transforms into a histrionic road movie with screwball intentions.

Although clearly made with earnest good intentions, this shabbily constructed work feels way too thirsty for audience love as it strings together a series of life-affirming, message-laden and sometimes embarrassingly anachronistic moments that feel too unconnected to satisfy as a drama.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

I expected this to be more of a carefree, funny road trip type of a film than the LGBT guy seeking family acceptance tale that it definitely is. I've nothing against that kind of film but I'd heard it was a comedy drama about a road trip so I guess I made the wrong assumptions about it. As I say, I do appreciate the message/themes and it has a good cast and everything but its certainly cheesy and a bit predictable **** entirely original and I'm not sure I'd personally categorise it primarily as a comedy. I'd say its more a drama. Its an ok film, yes but nothing amazing really.

(Español / ENglish) Abstract Español El reencuentro con la culpa, el dolor y la pérdida Este drama sobre el reencuentro de un profesor universitario gay con su conservadora familia en los años 70s funciona mejor en su primera mitad, donde su tono contenido y sobrio se corresponde con el de su protagonista. Es cuando se cargan las tintas que el relato se vuelve más convencional. De todos modos, la película se sostiene por la muy buena la labor de su elenco, en particular de Paul Bettany, cuyo Frank describe un arco que va de una placidez distante y preventiva al dolor más desgarrador. English Abstract The reunion with guilt, pain and loss This drama about a gay college professor's reunion with his conservative family in the 1970s works best in its first half, where its restrained and sober tone matches that of its protagonist. It is when the inks are loaded that the story becomes more conventional. Anyway, the film is sustained by the very good work of its cast, particularly Paul Bettany, whose Frank describes an arc that goes from a distant and preventive placidity to the most heartbreaking pain. Reseña Español Frank (Paul Bettany) es un profesor universitario gay que vive con su pareja Walid (Peter Macdissi) en Nueva York a principios de los años 70s. Ante la muerte de un familiar, debe retornar a su pueblo natal de Carolina del Sur, acompañado por su sobrina Beth (Sophia Lillis, protagonista de la muy buena serie Esta mierda me supera/ I Am Not Okay With This y presente en It y Sharp Objects), lo que implica un traumático reencuentro con su pasado. La película de Alan Ball recorre el tópico bastante transitado de la conflictiva relación de un varón homosexual con su familia y en particular con su padre. Frank no ha cortado lazos con su familia, pero se mantiene lejos de ella y le oculta celosamente su vida. La película funciona mejor en su primera mitad durante el planteo del statu quo anterior al viaje del protagonista, con situaciones que incluso bordean la comedia. Luego mantiene cierto precario equilibrio durante su segmento “road movie”. Es en el reencuentro de Frank con su familia cristiana y conservadora e irrumpen hechos de su pasado donde cambia el tono de la película, con el relato entrando en un territorio más dramático, pero también más convencional. Se podrá decir que esas etapas se corresponden con la evolución del protagonista, pero están mejor tratadas las primeras. De todos modos, la película se sostiene por la labor de su protagonista, en un arco que va de una placidez distante y preventiva al dolor más desgarrador English Review Frank (Paul Bettany) is a gay college professor who lives with his partner Walid (Peter Macdissi) in New York in the early 1970s. Before the death of a relative, he must return to his hometown of South Carolina, accompanied by his niece Beth (Sophia Lillis, protagonist of the very good series This **** surpasses me / I Am Not Okay With This and present in It and Sharp Objects), which implies a traumatic reencounter with his past. Alan Ball's film covers the well-traveled topic of the conflictive relationship of a homosexual male with his family and in particular with his father. Frank has not cut ties with his family, but is staying away from her and jealously hiding his life from him. The film works best in its first half during the raising of the status quo prior to the protagonist's journey, with situations that even border on comedy. Then he maintains a certain precarious balance during his “road movie” segment. It is in Frank's reunion with his Christian and conservative family and events from his past erupt that the tone of the film changes, with the story entering more dramatic, but also more conventional territory. It could be said that these stages correspond to the evolution of the protagonist, but the first ones are better treated. Anyway, the film is sustained by its cast, in particular by the work of its protagonist, in an arc that goes from a distant and preventive placidity to the most heartbreaking pain.

This is yet another movie where the trailer looks like a saucy comedy, but the reality is a dreary coming out story. Paul Bettany plays the uncle who’s been living with his boyfriend in 70s New York. When his precocious niece comes to college, she discovers the situation. Then trauma rises back home and they return to South Carolina. While the performances of this excellent cast are worthwhile, it’s surprising that writer/director Alan Ball is behind this. The tragedy of being gay and dealing with a family rejection might have an impact 40 years ago, but this film now feels wretchedly outdated. To top it off, nothing about the script is remotely original, making it feel more like a bad Hallmark film with a good cast.

(Mauro Lanari) Alan Ball: "I take you to places of the soul that are worth visiting". How much egocentric presumption. An on the road remake of "American Beauty" over 20 years later.