MovieChat Forums > Frank (2014) Discussion > The End *Spoiler Alert*

The End Spoiler Alert

posted 10 years ago by heffernan_ca
20 replies | jump to latest

Last night, I finally got to see "Frank" in Toronto (it was the 1st night of the Canadian limited release), and - as expected - I thought it was really *beep* up in a wonderful way. I absolutely loved it! I think it is going to become one of my favourite films. Having said that, I have a problem with the ending. The more I sit and think about it, the more I am sure that I am right: I don't think the director should have revealed Frank's face to the audience. Instead, I think he should have shown his eyes, the back of his head, etc., but not his full face - leaving us with a bit of mystery. Showing his face somehow takes away from the mystique of the film. Other than that, I agree with how the film concluded, and I think the resolution could not have ended in any other way.

[–] leftwingmofo 10 years ago

I just saw the movie tonight (Magic Lantern on Carlton, right?) I totally get what you're saying, though I think what's most striking is that Frank is far less expressive without the head than he ever was when we couldn't see his real face. I think that was the director's intention; Jon spends the whole movie wanting to see Frank's face and, when he finally does, realises that it's not the real Frank at all. Once he stripped away the mystique, he was left not with a tortured genius but just a very sick, very depressed and lonely man. It's a great turn and a great performance by Michael Fassbender, who turns off all of the charm and energy he'd had previously to express how disconnected Frank is.

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[–] heffernan_ca 10 years ago

That is a very interesting analysis on the ending. Your suggestion concerning expression is certainly something to consider.

Again, though, I still think this could still be achieved through the other character's reactions and interaction with Frank, as well as by using camera angles that don't quite give us, the audience, a clear view of his face - but instead close-ups of his eyes, lips, and other separate facial features. By never giving us a full view, and by showing him to be less-animated in his body movements, unmasked Frank would still come across to be, as you say, less expressive than masked Frank.

In any case, it was a very enjoyable film, and your idea gives me something more to ponder and discuss with others. Thank you.

[–] cracked_machine 10 years ago

I have to disagree.

I think it achieved what it set out to do perfectly by showing his face. The breaking of the mask at the road-side leaves the viewer feeling slightly sick; we've got what we wanted, to remove the mask, but now we can't go back. Pretty much a metaphor for the band and the protagonist's (or is Jon the antagonist) plot arc.

And when we see Frank at the end, it reveals that he was using the mask as his creative muse, when actually it was his band that were his muse all along. Something that Jon realizes when he visits Frank at home and Frank says he can't do it without the mask. Jon shows him otherwise by taking to back to his band. The irony being that he doesn't need the mask to be charismatic when his musical talent speaks for itself without it.

[–] dayviewing 10 years ago

Well said and good analysis. I hadn't considered the band as Frank's muse.

[–] beierfilms 10 years ago

I was surprised they ended up showing Frank's face (since the marketing hype had built on this idea of Michael Fasbender in a film where he never shows his face).

It's true it would have left the character with a bit more more majesty if we never saw him unmasked (even more so if we never heard from him again after the mask breaks); but doing so would have robbed the audience of the very powerful moment where he sings without his mask. That scene works because of how raw he is and how hard it seems for him to push pass his discomfort at being "naked" and still sing with the band. You can't really show that without seeing his face. Close-ups of just his eyes or mouth would have come off as artsy or forcing the emotion.

[–] wait_dream 10 years ago

Part of the point is that Frank isn't a "mystery," he's a man. And the band is more than his muse, it's his family. It's where he belongs. I agree that it's extremely difficult for Frank to sing at the end without his head probably because he doesn't feel safe. I thin the happy part isn't so much the removal of his head (which I give Jon absolutely no points for, considering he behaved so abominably) but being reunited with his friends and the music.

[–] Stirchley 8 years ago

Similar to many rock stars (Joe Walsh, Clapton, Richards) who felt the muse would desert them without the crutch of drugs & booze. Walsh said he was terrified the first time he was on stage sober.

[–] mikeyflatley 10 years ago

Very good analysis.

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[–] deadlydanish 10 years ago

I was dying for that head to come off from the beginning. But I knew it was going to be on for a long time. I loved the ending. It's a happy one for Frank. He's is able to make music without the head. He no longer needs to hide and he is no longer musically stunted as he was at his parent's home. And he is reunited with the band he loves and with Clara, who he needs.

[–] Nickerbocker9 10 years ago

Hey I just saw it today, same theatre as you! I also loved it.

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[–] AgentBlue 10 years ago

I liked seeing him without the head it gave us a chance to see the damaged human being frank really is.

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[–] enmasse 10 years ago

The fact that he, at least for that one song, was able to make music in the end without the giant head left me in tears...

We live in a time where, unfortunately, mental illness is is "kewl" and "mysterious". People with mental illnesses are layered; you have to peel back and chisel away so much to get to the point where you truly know someone who is suffering from mental anguish, although their mental illness may be apparent straight off. Showing his face and the visible scars the mask left effectively gave a soul to the character and gave us the opportunity to accept him. It's hard for people with a mental illness to talk about it, so they rarely have a voice and the ending really nailed the need to be understood by being felt, not just by hearing meaningless words (although the suicide was glib). The mask was quirky and fun, but underneath that was a character who was suffering. There are real people who suffer from mental illnesses and it's Hell. I was hoping someone would get that message from this film.

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[–] PoppyTransfusion 10 years ago

@ enmasse

Good post and I agree that performing without the head was symbolic and significant.

A bird sings and the mountain's silence deepens.

[–] ian-00408 9 years ago

We live in a time where, unfortunately, mental illness is is "kewl" and "mysterious"

wtf?
you seriously think that?

mental illness is *beep* miserable and damaging for the individual and all the people that care and love them

The most naive *beep* ive read on here.

Dont understand your post at all, u seem to get it at the end, but it aint *beep* kewl or mysterios

[–] holyteff 8 years ago

that's exactly what the poster was saying, notice how they put "kewl" & "mysterious" in quotes? not to mention that they put "we live in a time, unfortunately"?? it's because that isn't how THEY see it, they're saying that's how society/pop culture/whatever u wanna call it sees it today...their whole post was saying that mental illness ISN'T cool or mysterious, it's something very real that ppl need to take more seriously...it's funny that u call them naive when u missed their entire point completely, & a pretty obvious point at that...every single other thing in their post contradicted the viewpoint that mental illness is cool, so how could u misread it as them actually thinking that way?

[–] Kingteb 10 years ago

i didnt really like the ending either. the guy walks away, the end.. and im left here feeling violated and wondering "thats it?". but i guess they want you to use your imagination to figure your own ending, those are annoying.

[–] equalthree 9 years ago

What are you talking about? You don't have to imagine anything. The original band are back together, Frank is back with his musical family and the keyboard player has to go back to reality.

[–] CigarDoug (16) 7 years ago

The ending only makes sense if you don't think of Jon as the hero, or the protagonist, of the film. Jon never belonged in the band. Him bringing them to SXSW did screw them up. Yes, in the end, he helped Frank move past the mask and he was able to rejoin the band. But the band didn't exist to be popular or successful, they only needed each other. That's why they were happy playing in a dive where none of the patrons listened or even cared they were there. Jon realized at the end that he wasn't meant to be with the band, so he left.

[–] eonbluedan-1 9 years ago

This would defeat a big point of the film, undermining the notion of acceptance. It's all or nothing.

[–] DonGately 9 years ago

To me, this film is about that big mysterious rock star ego. The guy wears a mask. Everyone thinks he's really deep and mysterious and yadda yadda yadda. The main character wants to be Frank. The main character is pissed that he didn't have a messed up childhood like Frank did. The main character is pissed he didn't spend time in a mental institution like Frank did. He believes Frank's bad childhood and the mental institution are what makes a great artist.

But all of that is stripped away.

They HAVE to show his face at the end of this to make the point. The mask makes him mysterious. The mask is the big time charismatic rock star personality. Everyone thinks this guy is so brilliant and deep.

And what does the main character find out? Frank had a fine childhood, much like the main character's own. Frank was raised in a house similar to the main character's. Frank didn't have a bad childhood which led him to suffer and sent him to a mental institution.

No. Frank just had a mental illness. That's it. Mental illnesses aren't sexy or mysterious and they don't always arrise from a painful childhood. Sometimes...they just are. And that's Frank. He has an unsexy, non mysterious mental illness.

When Michael Myers or some horror movie villain wears a mask, our imaginations take off and fill in the blanks of what this guy could look like without that mask. Our unknowning of what Michael Myers actually looks like adds to the horror of that film. It's our imaginations filling in the blanks.

And when Frank is this super deep rock star and we can't see his face, we do the same. Our imaginations go wild, and we envision this larger than life person.

But what happens when we see Frank without the mask at the end?

He's just a regular f-cking guy.

In fact, he looks kinda f-cked up with the scars from the car accident.

But his mystery is taken away. And we are brought back down to Earth. Our perception of this ground becomes grounded.

He's just a f-cking guy.

And honestly I think that's the entire point of the film.

Not showing his face would only work against this point. It would keep his mystery in tact. We see that he's just a guy and there's no mystery left. That's the point, in my opinion.