Today’s quick review: Frank & Lola. Frank (Michael Shannon), a Las Vegas chef, is madly in love with Lola (Imogen Poots), a fashion designer who just graduated from college. But the trust between them is shattered when Lola cheats on him with another man. Frank eventually takes her back, and together they try to patch up their broken relationship. But their love faces an even greater test when Frank learns about Lola’s past with Alan (Michael Nyqvist).
Frank & Lola is a romantic drama about love, infidelity, and the emotional baggage that can poison a relationship. Frank & Lola follows Frank as he learns more than he wants to know about the woman he loves. The movie does a good job of peeling back the layers of Frank and Lola’s relationship and showing how it changes in response to each new development. The movie achieves an uncomfortable degree of realism, but its story has only limited appeal.
Frank & Lola’s core strength is the relationship between its title characters. Frank is a supportive boyfriend who is hurt badly by Lola’s infidelity. For her part, Lola loves Frank, but she is haunted by her past and is willing to lie to keep him from learning the truth. The back-and-forth between them is driven by an interplay of attraction, fear, and hurt feelings. The result is a plausible case study of a relationship in peril.
The catch is that Frank and Lola’s relationship doesn’t necessarily make for a compelling story. The chemistry between them is taken for granted rather than directly shown. The trials they go through are emotionally draining but not cathartic, while Lola’s past is not lurid enough to push the movie into thriller territory. As such, the plot feels like an exercise in low-grade sadism: the audience watches while the characters emotionally suffer.
Frank & Lola will appeal to drama fans who appreciate realism for its own sake. The characters, their emotions, and the tensions between them are all handled well. But the actual plot is a mixed bag, taking Frank and Lola on a journey without giving the audience a reason to go with them. Those drawn to the messy side of romance will get something out of the trip. Those looking for either idealized romance or bigger thrills may be disappointed.
For a more introspective romantic drama about a relationship on the rocks, try London. For a steamy psychological thriller about infidelity, try Chloe. For a surreal psychological thriller that picks apart its main character in similar ways, try Enemy.
5.9 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.0 for a realistic relationship and an unrewarding plot.