Uncle Frank

He was the kind of person I wanted to be

Action Comedy Drama
95 min     7.4     2020     USA

Overview

Beth (Sophia Lillis) is older than her years. She feels out of place in her native small town. For example, her grandpa behaves like a typical dork, and Beth's father tries to imitate him. Women in the family generally know their place – it’s in the kitchen. The only person who is able to pull the girl out of this melancholy is her uncle Frank (Paul Bettany), a professor from New York, who left the city a long time ago and rarely visits Beth.

Beth cannot help but notice how sophisticated Frank is, and thanks to his inspiring speeches, the girl was able to enter the university in New York. Only Frank is gay. Having barely processed this news, Beth must return home: to say goodbye to her grandfather who suddenly passed away. Frank also embarks on a journey to honor his father's memory, and Frank's lover joins along the way.

It's clear that the concept of Uncle Frank resembles any other coming-of-age film. The humor here is not very confident, and the relationships did not come out as dynamic as they could be. Surprisingly, the script unfolds more precisely in those moments that are focused on Frank, not Beth. The tragedy of the past and the tragedy of the present are intertwined, which is accompanied by tears, arguments, hugs, and self-reflection.

The main advantage of the movie is, of course, Paul Bettany: he is sophisticated, polite, but it is clear that his character has strong psychological scars. Although Beth is more of a narrative tool than a character, Sofia Lillis's talent should be noted.

Uncle Frank is both a coming-of-age movie, a road movie, and a gay drama. The main point is clear: you have to stay true to yourself. Be who you want to be – such a moral will suit, perhaps, teenagers. But the main idea is still that every person needs love.

Reviews

Peter McGinn wrote:
We really enjoyed this Amazon Original movie. The nearly no-name ensemble acting cast did a credible job bringing their characters to life. I like how the father wasn’t reduced to a violent abusive monster, but rather was given a bit more depth, though still not close to a sympathetic character. The writing was good as far as it went. By that aim mean the plot seemed to rely somewhat on stereotypical views on gay people during the 70s, leading to cliche lines and situations. Mind you, the reason cliches develop is because they are based on common themes or events. There is a reveal looming over the story, but even if you think you see it coming, there is a twist that is rather neat. It is a nice story, a combination of coming of age and touching upon a social issue of the 70s.

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