Movie Review/Interview: Dir. Lenny Abrahamson On ‘Frank,’ Michael Fassbender & Music

Preston Barta // Editor

FRANK | 95 min. | Rated R | Director: Lenny Abrahamson | Stars: Domhnall Gleeson, Michael Fassbender, Maggie Gyllenhaal, François Civil and Scoot McNairy

Based on late British comedian Chris Sievey‘s iconic comedy character Frank Sidebottom, FRANK is one of the single most downright wacky and deranged films that you will ever come across. However, it’s a terrific character-driven piece about music and collaboration.

The offbeat comedy stars Domhnall Gleeson (HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PT. 1 & 2), who plays Jon, a wannabe musician who finds himself out of his depth when he joins a pop band headed by the enigmatic Frank (an excellent Michael Fassbender).

We sat down with the director of FRANK, Lenny Abrahamson (GARAGE, 2007), at the InterContinental Hotel in Austin, where the film had its regional premiere at the South by Southwest film festival back in March. We talked about how social media changed the film industry, discovering Fassbender’s voice as the title character and teaching college courses.

How social media changed the film industry

The origin of Michael Fassbender’s voice in FRANK

How music influenced the story

Comparing the tone of FRANK to FXX’s WILFRED (apologies for the sirens)

If he could teach a college course

FRANK opens today.