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Fixing Frank (2002)
Under discussion:
Fixing Frank
(2001)
The titular character
Released:
August 3, 2002 (Chicago)
Director:
Michael Selditch
*****
What starts off with a fascinating and relatively obscure premise-a gay man researching reparative therapy techniques-quickly turns into a massive of points, counterpoints, grandstanding and, ultimately, a whole lot of nothing.
Frank (Andrew Elvis Miller) is going to write an expose on a Doctor Apsey (Dan Butler) at the behest of his psychologist boyfriend Jonathan (Paul Provenza). As Frank begins attending sessions with the doctor, Jonathan continues to coach him...what should he say, how should he act and so on. The idea is to put Apsey out of business by discrediting him with their governing board. But just as it becomes clear Jonathan is using Frank to assuage his own pre-coming out guilt, Apsey uses Frank is his own way.
I don't mean to suggest in any way that either the characters of Apsey or Jonathan are evil; they both simply have their own agendas and see Frank as the conduit to discrediting each other.
Fixing Frank
isn't as much as going from gay to straight as it is about standing on your own two feet and thinking for yourself. At no point in this stage play turned film does Frank think for himself, until the very end.
This is a painful movie to watch, not because of the acting or even the writing, but because someone literally translated a play for the screen. The entire film is claustrophobic, shot with tight angles on whatever the camera puts in front of our faces. In a way, it's too personal for the audience, especially considering we know next to nothing about these people. When a "major" revelation comes out about Jonathan, we treat it with a yawn and a moan as opposed to a gasp and shock. He did what? Frankly, it doesn't matter.
Now, the fact both these men use Frank in their own ways (and Apsey does use Frank, especially in the end) is appalling at best. Apsey uses a wide range of anti-gay (though he'd never admit to it) thoughts and deceptions to get to Frank's psyche. Why merely survive when you can thrive (as straight)? Frank is talking to him because at some point he wanted to be straight and have everything he sees around him. Really, though, the premise of the movie is betrayed rather early and no one bothers to pick up the pieces. The idea? If you could take a pill and change your orientation, would you? Still compelling material, done correctly. This was not done correctly.
(spout.com)
Syndicated Feed From:
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posted on Saturday, May 26, 2007 8:01 PM by
JJ79
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