What is inside the head, inside of the head? This is a question that we ask about many artists across all mediums of art. Frank is a film that explores that very notion. Michael Fassbender plays the titular character, Frank, a songwriter who is always wearing a papier-mache mask.

The logline states:

“An aspiring musician joins a band of eccentrics led by an enigmatic singer == who wears a fake head — and his unstable girlfriend.”

Sounds crazy, right? Well, this dark comedy is fantastic. The cherry on top is that Maggie Gyllenhaal plays his unstable girlfriend. She is so phenomenal.

The story is told from Jon, played by Domhnall Gleeson, a keyboardist who joins Frank’s band. When Jon first encounters Frank, he is so intrigued by him that he drops everything that he is doing to join the band. What this film delves into is the subject matter of how people become so intrigued by the “individual” type in our society. We explore the fascination that Jon and his new quirky-weirdo bandmates have with Frank.

We learn that Frank is no different from you and I. He is human like all of us. But, he puts on this mask and creates this alter-ego that enables him to be an artist with the potential of becoming a symbol. It gives him a sense of confidence that he could metaphorically do a cross-over three-point jump shot in the NBA and make it every time like Steph Curry does. The best part is, he never takes the mask off. But, what happens to Frank when he takes it off? Watch the film and find out!

This film works on so many levels because it is so weird. It works as a comedy, a bromance and a memoir.

Breaking away from a conformist society is hard, and that is why it is so hard to be an individual. Following Frank’s development in this film shows us how and why people follow musicians because artists are the people in society who set the norms and trends because they are individuals. People like to follow individuals because it is admirable, and it gives us a sense of inspiration. It is not every day that we quit everything, that we are doing to join a band or to do anything that crazy in regards to being part of a movement led by someone like Frank. More importantly, this film tells you why we like to follow the “individual” and the secret to being a successful “individual” in today’s world. I think that secret is we want to know what is in the head of the artist, inside the head of the individual.

Moreover, my favorite part of this film is how the story tells us how hard it is to be someone like Frank; and that is why most people are too afraid to step outside of the realms of conformity.

What do you think?

Remember,

“The Zos Knows”

-David Zosel 

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