Review of Bad Frank (2017) by Ryan S — 28 Jul 2017

Cinemaphiles will likely greatly enjoy the pressure- cooker ambiance that the film creates, as well as a refreshingly "real" protagonist; one with whom our dark sides may identify, for good and ill.

Tilling uncomfortably familiar ground, members of our society who have struggled against, been affected by, and even swept along the riptide of Addiction: This poignant, unconventional and emotionally charged picture examines the path of a man who, despite his best efforts at living soberly & responsibly, is [seen to be] left with no alternative to harnessing, or more accurately, unfettering his notoriously reckless & violently predisposed "id" to solve a rather serious quandary brought about from an incidental reaquaintance with a past shrouded in shame, injury, & not a little mystery.

Surprisingly genuine performances, woven into an honest depiction of the struggle to keep our beasts caged (and the devastation wrought when self-control is abandoned) MORE than make up for the oddly stilted and somewhat awkward pacing as the story unfolds, and that not without a few moments which will, at turns, impress, dismay, & resonate soundly with the viewer.

This is not Hollywood's empty airheaded junk food; I'd personally liken it to a meal you've eaten before, but prepared & served much more satisfactorily & with panache.