FRANK & LOLA – Review

Michael Shannon and Imogen Poots in FRANK & LOLA. Photo courtesy of Falco Ink. Universal Pictures and Paladin Films ©

Michael Shannon and Imogene Poots star in a dark, sexy tale about a twisted romance between aspiring fashion designer Lola and gifted chef Frank in FRANK & LOLA. Secrets and half-truths suffuse this noir-ish tale which is set, appropriately, partly in Las Vegas, a city of illusions that touts itself as a place of secrets, and partly in Paris, city of lights and love, of haute couture, haute cuisine, and heartbreak.

Opposites attract but this mix may just be too hot. From the first scene, which opens with the two in bed, the sexy, edgy FRANK & LOLA will bring LAST TANGO IN PARIS to mind for some audiences. It is clear from the very beginning that these two are a mismatch but they are both strongly draw together, each finding in the other a person so unlike anyone else they have been with. That kind of fire-and-water romance is sure to create sparks. Actually, sodium and water is a better analogy, for those who remember high school chemistry lab.

Frank (Shannon) is a brooding, reserved guy with an old-fashioned view of romance while young, adventurous Lola is quite the opposite. Neither has been involved with anyone like the other, and their mutual attraction is palpable. Lola is intrigued by Frank’s old-fashioned protectiveness but it comes with a touch of possessiveness and a hint of violence. A recent college graduate who has returned to her native Las Vegas, Lola ‘s upbeat demeanor conceals a murky past and secrets she is reluctant to share.

Their complex relationship is further complicated by people around them. Rosanna Arquette plays Lola’s jet-set journalist mother Patricia, in a single memorable scene. In Paris, Michael Nyqvist plays Alan, a wealthy Swedish friend of Lola’s mother, who is living in Paris and Emmanuelle Devos plays his wife Claire. Justin Long plays Lola’s boss Keith, an entrepreneur whose aggressive friendliness arouses suspicion in Frank.

Matthew Ross both wrote and makes his feature film directorial debut with FRANK & LOLA, which also shows the influence of Alfred Hitchcock films with mysterious women such as VERTIGO and MARNIE. In writing the script, Ross was inspired in part by a friend’s experience in an abusive relationship with a sociopath, and what the writer/director imagined as the aftermath of such a relationship. That aftermath is when Frank and Lola meet but it still looms over their relationship. The film premiered at Sundance earlier this year, where is garnered praise.

The talented Michael Shannon seems to be everywhere this year, appearing in ten films in an amazing range of roles, from a tough Texas lawman in the thriller NOCTURAL ANIMALS, to Elvis Presley in the comedy ELVIS AND NIXON, to a father protecting his son in the science fiction MIDNIGHT SPECIAL. In FRANK & LOLA, he plays the vulnerable and suspicious Frank, who may be out of him depth with Lola. British actress Imogen Poots is less well-known but likewise having a strong year, with attention grabbing role in the horror thriller GREEN ROOM. Poots’ Lola has the face of an angel but she is full of secrets and clearly has a more sexually adventurous past than Frank.

Shannon and Poots are completely convincing as a couple irresistibly attracted to each other, even while fully aware of how mismatched they are. We have all known real couples like that, or even been part of one, which is why the the situation is so believable. Their fine performances create a raw heat and looming violence that amps up tensions in this gripping, edgy psychological thriller. At the same time, the actors have a romantic chemistry together that makes us care about them both.

Lola has a tendency to secrets, Frank has a tendency to jealousy – a bad mix in a real relationship but a great fire under this noir-ish film. The film’s taste for skating on the edge of sleaze or crime suggests DOUBLE INDEMNITY and other classic noir films but this is a story entirely in the contemporary world.

Lola has secrets but Frank has a hidden side as well, revealed bit by bit as the twisty plot unfolds. Director Ross keeps the level of tensions high until the end, and Shannon’s strong performance is aided quite a bit by an equally good one from Nyqvist as the smooth, seductive Alan. Occasional moments of violence, even sexual violence, make this a very edgy film, and we never know how it will all turn out up to the last moment.

It is a strong debut for Ross, and with its looming sense of danger and fine acting from Michael Shannon and Imogen Poots in particular, FRANK & LOLA is a good bet for noir film fans.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars