“Robot & Frank” is a simple film but that’s what I like about it. It features good performances, an amusing idea and a genuine sense of realism. It perhaps doesn’t amount to anything special but while you’re watching it, you’ll enjoy it.

“Robot & Frank” is set in the near future where an ex-jewel thief with memory problems, named Frank (Frank Langella “Frost/Nixon”, “The Ninth Gate”), is given a robot helper (voiced by Peter Sarsgaard “Flightplan”, “Green Lantern”). Frank is sceptical and resistant at first but when he realises the robot can be easily manipulated, he decides to get back into his old business of stealing.

Frank Langella is really quite good as Frank. The full extent of the character’s problems is shown in a very powerful way not too far away from the end with a great twist that I didn’t see coming. I like the unnamed robot as well as he really does seem like something that’ll be on the market in the near future. The credits even show clips of real robots to prove this. I like the relationship between the two and that’s the aspect of the movie that I enjoyed the most. The other characters are a downgrade. However, I feel Frank’s son, Hunter, is played quite well by James Marsden (“X-Men”).

Langella’s performance is quite good, I believe all the technology shown is what we’ll be seeing on the market soon and it’s a quietly funny experience that leaves you with a pleasant feeling. The robberies themselves are where the movie truly falls short but the rest of it is such an effortless joy to watch that I really cannot give this movie a bad review. Maybe one day they’ll be a more elaborate sequel but that may just take away some of the charm of this film.