It is a performances centric movie

Better Late Then Never

Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

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

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 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.

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.