(www.plastipcals.com) Robot and Frank generated some buzz at the Sundance Film Festival, and I'm happy to report that it wasn't just hype. It's a genuinely entertaining character study set in the next 50 years that manages to be both funny and surprisingly touching. And while it is a relatively small independent film you wouldn't know it from the cast, which includes recognizable stars Frank Langella, Susan Sarandon, and Liv Tyler (with Peter Sarsgaard providing the voice for the titular robot). Langella is a perfect fit for the part, and if you're sick of the tiresome trope of the killer robot you'll find the film's premise totally refreshing.
As might be expected, Frank is none too thrilled about the prospect of a robot babysitter. The VGC-60L humanoid is about the size of a child and speaks with a neutral voice a bit like HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey. In appearance it looks less impressive technically than Honda's ASIMO – boxier and rougher around the edges – more akin to the Russian humanoids Arne and Arnea.
The film bypasses its budget limitations by employing a fairly realistic looking robot suit, which, while not quite as good as it could have been, has a certain charm all its own.
That's OK, as the thrust of the film isn't the sci-fi bits but about Frank, his condition, and his relationships. These are handled very well. Luckily, aside from one or two problems, the script is smart. Frank's daughter (Liv Tyler), initially dislikes the robot too – she's politically aligned against them – a movement that will likely emerge as robotics technology encroaches our daily lives. And there are some very poignant moments between Frank and the robot that really got me.
Robot and Frank is up there with the best robot movies out there. I took my mom to this movie and we both really enjoyed it, so it goes to show that you don't have to be a robot geek to see it. The credits even include footage from a handful of contemporary robot projects to show the audience what is out there, including Karlsruhe University's Armar III, Murata Boy (the cycling robot), Waseda University's TWENDY-ONE, Pal Robotics' humanoid REEM-B, the University of Tokyo's Assistant Robot, and a few others.
As might be expected, Frank is none too thrilled about the prospect of a robot babysitter. The VGC-60L humanoid is about the size of a child and speaks with a neutral voice a bit like HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey. In appearance it looks less impressive technically than Honda's ASIMO – boxier and rougher around the edges – more akin to the Russian humanoids Arne and Arnea.
The film bypasses its budget limitations by employing a fairly realistic looking robot suit, which, while not quite as good as it could have been, has a certain charm all its own.
That's OK, as the thrust of the film isn't the sci-fi bits but about Frank, his condition, and his relationships. These are handled very well. Luckily, aside from one or two problems, the script is smart. Frank's daughter (Liv Tyler), initially dislikes the robot too – she's politically aligned against them – a movement that will likely emerge as robotics technology encroaches our daily lives. And there are some very poignant moments between Frank and the robot that really got me.
Robot and Frank is up there with the best robot movies out there. I took my mom to this movie and we both really enjoyed it, so it goes to show that you don't have to be a robot geek to see it. The credits even include footage from a handful of contemporary robot projects to show the audience what is out there, including Karlsruhe University's Armar III, Murata Boy (the cycling robot), Waseda University's TWENDY-ONE, Pal Robotics' humanoid REEM-B, the University of Tokyo's Assistant Robot, and a few others.