My Mother Frank (2000) User Reviews (9)

A film of talents various.

[williamsonkwr · 7/10 · 29 March 2007]

I saw this film purely by chance. It was shown very late, or more correctly very early one morning on television. I had woken up and was having trouble getting to sleep and this film came on.

It deals with a subject covered many times elsewhere (it certainly isn't as good as Educating Rita, despite a couple of additional twists) and has a very predictable ending.

Despite its very obvious shortcomings I did enjoy the film and this was thanks to the acting of some of its players rather than the story or the piece as a whole.

I am a big fan of Sam Neil and have seen him in many different films including: Dead Calm; The Piano; Sirens; Children of the Revolution; Event Horizon; Bicentennial Man and the ubiquitous Jurassic Park. He was very good but he could have played this part with his eyes shut.

Some of the acting was, in my opinion, dreadful Rose Byrne for example and some of the elusions were rather heavy handed (all the board woman in empty lives all dressed totally in white for example).

However, two actors (who I hadn't, or don't remember, seen before) impressed me a lot Sinéad Cusackn as Frances (Frank) Kennedy, and especially Matthew Newton as her son David. He, in particular, was very convincing and I would like to see a lot more of him.

Funny, with a great cast

[ksaelagnulraon · 8/10 · 13 December 2001]

I can't see how a film of this quality only gets an average of 5.7 from IMDb voters. It's a classic Australian production that resembles recent efforts such as LOVE AND OTHER CATASTROPHES, THE SUGAR FACTORY, OCCASIONAL COARSE LANGUAGE, RUSSIAN DOLL, SAMPLE PEOPLE, THE SECRET LIFE OF US, LA SPAGNOLA, STRANGE PLANET, FRESH AIR, DUST OFF THE WINGS, DOING TIME FOR PATSY CLINE, etc..., as a 19-year-old uni student (Newton, in perhaps his best role yet, on par with CHANGI at least) with a bored, over-religious mother gets the shock of his life when she decides to enrol in the same course as him - and before you go thinking ANOTHER GOOFY MOVIE, it's not, there's some real substance here. Sure, it's a simplistic view of life in general and arts students in particular (but then they are rather simplistic under all that philosophical mumbo-jumbo aren't they?), and maybe the study of Sinead Cusack's character is a little muddled at times, but the film is bright, funny, and has some important messages. The principle cast is terrific: Cusack and Newton are wonderful, and Rose Byrne (see her also in THE GODDESS OF 1967) is so underrated it's not funny. She's a beautiful, fresh, confident actor who deserves every accolade she receives. I gave MY MOTHER FRANK 8/10.

A great Australian film

[laotze · 19 July 2000]

I watched this film last night at a preview screening - we were told initially we'd be watching "Return To Me" but it didn't arrive so they showed "My Mother Frank" instead. The film would have a hard time winning us over - we'd come to see an American romantic comedy but here was another zany Australian film in its place. Apparently about gay parenthood, as the title seemed to imply!

Well thankfully it wasn't, but the first 20 minutes really seemed to drag. I was about to walk out and rent a video when two people sat down beside us, blocking our exit. Damn. As the jokes passed onscreen I wasn't smiling - I had a grim set to my mouth, and had laughed maybe twice since the beginning of the film.

Then something happened. After about 20 minutes, I started laughing. Probably a combination of me giving in to watching the movie, and the script improving somewhat, from that point on the film was quite a joy.

The storyline is about a widow and mother named Frank (played by Sinead Cusack), who's son tells her to get a life. She takes his suggestion to heart, and goes to university to study a Bachelor of Arts majoring it seems in Poetry. Sam Neill plays her poetry lecturer Professor Mortlock, a slightly bitter, very hard man to please. As she struggles to fit into uni life amid the protestations of an embarrassed son (its the same uni he attends), Frank also tries to fit in charity work for the Catholic church forced on her by the nun from hell, looking after her daughter's children while she should be studying, and finally exploding pineapple tins.

Added to this, we witness the amusing antics of her son David (played by Matthew Newton) as he falls in love with his best mates underappreciated girlfriend and attempts to win her over.

Downsides to the film? Perhaps the start was a little slow, and occasionally I could guess what was about to happen (which, surprisingly, doesn't usually occur to me).

I though this was a great Australian film - funny and satisfying.

Life-Affirming

[Stephen Groenewegen · 8/10 · 19 July 2000]

My Mother Frank begins as a warm, amiable comedy about a middle-aged Catholic woman (Frank, short for Francis, played by Sinead Cusack) who shakes herself out of the doldrums by enrolling as a student in her son's university. Most of her friends and family are horrified, not least her son (Matthew Newton), who is busy falling in love with his best mate's girlfriend (Rose Byrne). Meanwhile Frank has raised the ire of her disapproving English tutor (Sam Neill).

Matthew Newton is utterly disarming as David; relaxed and natural in the role, even when the character's uptight. He generates valuable goodwill, steering the audience through some of the film's more awkward, broad comedy moments. Not long after the half-way point, first-time writer-director Mark Lamprell expertly steers his film into darker emotional territory and gives Cusack a real chance to shine.

The supporting cast is full of familiar and welcome faces (Lynette Curran, Sacha Horler, Nicholas Bishop) and all the principals (including a more animated than usual Sam Neill) are excellent. While it meanders a little towards the end, My Mother Frank delivers more than it promises and is a genuine Australian crowd-pleaser.

See this movie NOW!

[iconc · 10/10 · 12 August 2000]

A fantastic film featuring great Aussie talent. Director Mark Lamprell dealt with the potentially sob-inducing subject matter in a way which was humorous and refreshing. Definitely the highlight of the 2000 Brisbane International Film Festival. Australian film veteran, Sam Neill was, as always, fabulous in the role of Frank's uni professor and new talent Matt Newton gave a performance which will have people saying, " you know, Bert Newton, Matt's dad!" Get out and see this movie!!!

A great film

[marianne.timbrell · 10/10 · 15 August 2000]

The Australian public and the Australian film industry are often heard to complain that there are not enough great Aussie films around, or that they are all the same.

Well in this case this film is not a carbon copy of other Australian films. It is unique - it will make you laugh out-loud, it will make you cry and it will make you feel really good about yourself.

The casting of this film is superb and the acting is second to none. The script and the photography (colour/light etc) is wonderful. But more important this is a great film. I don't want to talk about the plot as I think it is always best to see a film knowing as little about it as possible. Suffice to say this film will appeal to a wide range of audiences. Take your girlfriend, take your Mum, take your friends - for a great evening out.

10/10!!!!

Average comedy drama

[bob the moo · 4 June 2007]

Since the death of his father, David Kennedy has lived with his mother Frances (Frank) and has suffered with her suffocating "care" for him and inability to move past her loss. After embarrassing him one too many times, David snaps and rants at her about getting a life and getting out of his. However when Frances takes this to heart, we decides to enrol at an University to take a degree in BA with a major in poetry. Thing is though, she enrols at the same Uni as David.

The plot summary makes it sound like a straightforward comedy and for a while that does appear to be what it is trying to do. However gradually the film moves into more of a character drama were the dynamics within Frances' family changes a bit. Both approaches work reasonably well but neither one is actually that good. The comedy side doesn't really work as it isn't that funny but the bigger falling down comes in the dramatic side of the narrative. The thread with Professor Mortlock doesn't really go anywhere and it is the same with the major of the character interactions; I didn't feel convinced or touched by them or what was happening to them.

What makes the film better than it deserves to be is a passionate performance from Cusack. The script and direction may leave her without the support structure but she gives her all in a difficult character. Newton does reasonably well alongside her and rises to the challenge when the material gives it to him – which sadly isn't that often. Neill drifts around in the background with a simple performance but not really adding much value.

Overall then an average comedy drama that doesn't really work that well in either regard. The comedy is light but never actually that funny while the drama offers things happening but not in a manner that engaged my head or heart. A couple of good performances carry it along more than it deserves but the final impression is to shrug one's shoulders and say it was "OK".

my mother frank

[pondi_1999 · 8/10 · 7 March 2008]

Brilliant Aussie movie... A little slow at the beginning, but once it gets going you can't stop laughing. When I originally saw the movie I vaguely knew the plot line, as I am not sure if many people are aware that this movie is based on a true story, and more so in particular, the director and his mother (obviously names have been changed). I only knew this fact as the director is a friend of a friend of my family. When I saw the movie, somehow my stepmum kept it secret that we were to meet Matthew Newton after the screening... Such a nice gentleman (except for a particularly nasty incident with his ex)! Brillian casting as well with Sam Neill and others! A great reason to keep supporting the Australian film industry

Dull

[canuck-3 · 11 December 2001]

Not particularly original or engaging. About half an hour in I'd written the ending in my head. The only surprise I got was that it was worse and more cliched than I'd imagined.

The lead actors are not particularly likeable either. That makes our journey through their world a hard slog.