410:, learns of the robot and returns to convince her father to get rid of the machine, which she finds ethically objectionable. Frank insists on keeping the robot, and they commit one last heist, stealing jewels from Jake, the rich young developer at the head of the library renovation project. The police become involved and begin to question and monitor Frank, who maintains his innocence, feigning deathly illness so that Hunter will return to see him. In order to cover his tracks, Frank is faced with the decision of whether to wipe the memory of his robot, even as his own memory rapidly deteriorates.
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597:
According to
Schreier, the heat caused the person inside of the robot suit, dancer Rachael Ma, so much discomfort that she had to be replaced with another actress, Dana Morgan, for two days of filming. Though Ma was initially tasked with providing Langella with the robot's lines, it became impossible
630:
The science fiction film also received positive reviews due to the film's portrayal of care robots and the uncovering of taboo topics related to care. Journal-writer Aino-Kaisa
Koistinen appraises the film through "The (Care) Robot in Science Fiction: A Monster or a Tool for the Future?" and
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Initially wary of the robot's presence in his life, Frank warms up to his new companion when he realizes the robot is not programmed to distinguish between legal recreational activities and criminal ones, and can assist him in
544:. Around 2008, the two began discussing a feature-length project to collaborate on and chose the screenplay that had been Ford's senior thesis at Tisch, which Schreier had helped produce. This evolved into the screenplay for
417:; it argues that it is not a real person and its sole reason for existence is to help Frank, which it can best do by helping him avoid jail. Frank then moves into a full-time care facility to help him cope with his
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Ford had originally begun conceptualizing the story for the film in 2002. He and
Schreier were interested in the rapid development of technology and its impact on the daily life of ordinary people. Unlike more
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discusses how its plot and bond between the characters and robots was "...making visible the powerlessness of these old men in terms of deciding for their own care" (Koistinen, 2001, p. 104).
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to explore the subject without any particular moral undercurrent. According to
Schreier, technology is "not bad or good but it will change the way we relate to each other. There’s no stopping it."
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658:, while critical of what he saw as a film "more concerned with telling a story and moving an audience than challenging anyone," recommended it overall as "sturdily crafted" and well-acted.
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called it "charming, playful, and sly" and praised the first-time filmmakers' technical polish and choice to focus on classic themes of aging and human frailty. Turan subsequently named
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1506:
578:. The filmmakers wanted to emulate the style of caretaker robots made in Japan, and the design also needed to allow a human actor inside the robot suit, played by Rachael Ma.
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with a family of his own, grows tired of making weekly visits to his father's home without his kids, but is reluctant to put his father into full-time care, so he purchases a
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Frank goes to the library where he discovers that
Jennifer is his ex-wife, which he had forgotten. He then returns home where the robot convinces him to wipe its
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gives the film a score of 86% based on reviews from 139 critics. The site's consensus is "Led by a brilliant performance from star Frank
Langella,
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companion, which is programmed to provide Frank with therapeutic care, including a fixed daily routine and cognition-enhancing activities like
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was the first feature film for both
Schreier and Ford, and received critical acclaim for its writing, production, and acting. It won the
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Set in the near future, aging ex-convict and thief Frank Weld lives alone and suffers from increasingly severe mental deterioration and
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praised the "deceptive simplicity" of the film and singled out
Langella's performance as "a master class in acting." Noel Murray of
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for her to perform both the physical acting and lines simultaneously, and the task was given to
Langella's nephew, who was a
743:"From the Future, a Subtle Spark of Recognition In 'Robot & Frank,' Technology of the Not-So-Distant Future on Display"
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1100:"Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prizes Awarded to Robot & Frank and Valley of Saints at 2012 Sundance Film Festival"
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The film was shot in 20 days on a budget of 2.5 million dollars. Filming took place in the summer in
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This was the first feature film for both Ford and
Schreier, who were friends and classmates at the
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it has a score of 67% based on reviews from 33 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".
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The futuristic smartphones and tablets featured in the film were designed by Justin Ouellette of
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works as both a quirky indie drama and as a smart, thoughtful meditation on aging." On
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portrayals of the rise of technology in modern cinema, the filmmakers wanted
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technology that inspired the human-like design of the robot in the film
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838:"Director Jake Schreier talks 'Robot and Frank' and dirty laundry"
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989:"Movie review: 'Robot & Frank,' an odd couple with a twist"
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from the library, which is being renovated and turned into a
574:-based effects company notable for their costume design for
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In the meantime, Frank's daughter Madison, who is away on a
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Films with screenplays by Christopher Ford (screenwriter)
890:"Director Jake Schreier Gets (Robot &) Frank With Us"
615:
The film received mostly positive reviews from critics.
812:"'Robot & Frank' offers an easygoing, gentle charm"
1102:. Sundance Institute. January 27, 2012. Archived from
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AARP Movies for Grownups Award for Best Buddy Picture
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Confero: Essays on Education, Philosophy and Politics
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English-language science fiction comedy-drama films
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1164:: Frank Langella discusses the film on
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528:. After graduation, Schreier directed
953:"The (Care) robot in science fiction"
888:Thompson, Luke Y. (August 23, 2012).
395:in the wake of declining interest in
7:
1015:Turan, Kenneth (December 19, 2012).
1344:Tyler Perry's The Family that Preys
836:Pizzello, Chris (August 30, 2012).
784:Anderson, John (January 22, 2012),
16:2012 film directed by Jake Schreier
1582:English-language independent films
741:Wortham, Jenna (August 10, 2012).
14:
1517:Films about technological impact
1072:Murray, Noel (August 23, 2012).
970:10.3384/confero.2001-4562.161212
810:Handelman, Jay (April 4, 2012).
1577:Films directed by Jake Schreier
674:, tying with the Kashmiri film
566:, and the robot was created by
1532:Films shot in New York (state)
1403:Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie
951:Koistinen, Aino-Kaisa (2016).
690:Android Kunjappan Version 5.25
1:
1527:Films set in New York (state)
1487:Alfred P. Sloan Prize winners
1567:2012 directorial debut films
1477:2010s English-language films
1194:Alfred P. Sloan Prize Winner
1492:American buddy comedy films
672:2012 Sundance Film Festival
644:one of 2012's best films.
327:2012 Sundance Film Festival
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1502:American independent films
201:January 20, 2012
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365:. Frank's son Hunter, an
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1462:2010s buddy comedy films
493:Joshua Ormond as Flattop
1522:Films set in the future
1472:2012 comedy-drama films
842:The East Valley Tribune
171:White Hat Entertainment
1017:"Top 10 Films of 2012"
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466:Caine Sheppard as Ryan
146:Francis and the Lights
668:Alfred P. Sloan Prize
634:Kenneth Turan of the
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449:as the voice of Robot
323:Alfred P. Sloan Prize
291:from a screenplay by
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1497:American heist films
1482:2010s American films
600:production assistant
511:, an example of the
443:Rachael Ma as Robot
224: (United States)
187:Samuel Goldwyn Films
77:Jackie Kelman-Bisbee
1552:Stage 6 Films films
1512:Films about old age
1074:"Robot & Frank"
1048:"Robot & Frank"
1046:(August 16, 2012).
987:(August 23, 2012).
786:"Robot & Frank"
536:for companies like
482:Katherine Waterston
478:as Sheriff Rowlings
280:is a 2012 American
55:Christopher D. Ford
1547:Films about robots
1244:Films directed by
867:The New York Times
747:The New York Times
546:Robot & Frank.
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1201:Succeeded by
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1130:Robot & Frank
1022:Los Angeles Times
994:Los Angeles Times
932:"Robot and Frank"
915:Robot & Frank
869:. August 17, 2012
768:Robot & Frank
666:The film won the
642:Robot & Frank
637:Los Angeles Times
621:Robot & Frank
611:Critical response
557:Robot & Frank
513:Japanese robotics
329:, tying with the
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488:Ana Gasteyer
476:Jeremy Sisto
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408:Turkmenistan
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233:Running time
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1420:Da 5 Bloods
1360:Unstoppable
1352:The Soloist
1269:Paper Towns
1080:. The Onion
894:The Nerdist
572:Los Angeles
534:commercials
520:Development
509:Honda ASIMO
490:as Shoplady
484:as Shopgirl
440:as Jennifer
397:print media
388:Don Quixote
68:Lance Acord
61:Produced by
41:Directed by
1457:2012 films
1451:Categories
1379:Last Vegas
937:Metacritic
721:References
625:Metacritic
499:Production
266:Box office
237:89 minutes
220:2012-08-24
205:2012-01-20
153:Production
73:Sam Bisbee
1167:Fresh Air
606:Reception
576:Daft Punk
553:dystopian
461:Liv Tyler
375:gardening
313:Liv Tyler
155:companies
134:Edited by
117:Liv Tyler
1387:Land Ho!
1110:June 14,
821:June 14,
796:June 14,
715:Robotics
684:See also
419:dementia
406:trip in
367:attorney
363:dementia
350:company
331:Kashmiri
250:Language
211:Sundance
142:Music by
90:Starring
1177:Awards
790:Variety
670:at the
582:Filming
542:Verizon
472:as Jake
325:at the
253:English
242:Country
218: (
203: (
1431:(2021)
1423:(2020)
1406:(2016)
1398:(2015)
1390:(2014)
1382:(2013)
1374:(2012)
1363:(2010)
1355:(2009)
1347:(2008)
1339:(2007)
1282:(2025)
1272:(2015)
1262:(2012)
662:Awards
564:Tumblr
311:, and
258:Budget
209: (
1428:Finch
1198:2012
792:, RBL
371:robot
333:film
1135:IMDb
1112:2012
1086:2012
1059:2012
1030:2012
1002:2012
901:2012
875:2012
849:2012
823:2012
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754:2012
570:, a
540:and
532:and
507:The
425:Cast
357:Plot
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