[Review] Uncle Frank(2020) {7/10}

Written, Directed, and Co-produced by Alan Ball, the film stars Paul Bettany (Frank Bledsoe), Sophia Lillis (Beth Bledsoe) and Peter Macdissi (Walid "Wally" Nadeem).

The plot follows a gay literature professor Frank Bledsoe (Paul Bettany) who reluctantly returns home, accompanied by his teenage niece Beth Bledsoe (Sophia Lillis) to attend his father's funeral.

Somewhat autobiographical as Ball contended, Uncle Frank gets on to the fast track, when a death in the family necessitates a reunion. Frank and Beth take the road, and the trip gets complicated when Wally follows them and insists that his partner of 10 years may need him at this emotionally distressing moment. It seems like all hell breaking loose when the will of the dead man, Frank's father, in fact, is read out by the family lawyer. It seems awfully cruel what the old man had to say about his son. Alan Ball mashes up two beautiful genres into one, giving his trademarked realistic touch to narrate this coming-out drama. He treats his characters with the utmost sensitivity, especially the three leading ones. Though he starts with the note of how Uncle Frank is a relative that we all deserve, he soon begins to showcase his shortcomings to portray his humane nature. Paul Bettany adapts Frank’s strengths and weaknesses as his own. Even for the natural performer, he has always been, Frank is still a challenging character to play which Paul nails it to the core. He takes you deep to the emotional depth of Frank, leaving on you to decide how a closeted gay feels as. Sophia Lillis proves to be a perfect choice for Betty/Beth. Exploring the adolescent period of her life, Sophia gets the mental state of Beth on-point only to reciprocate that with a brilliant act. Peter Macdissi, as Wally adds the sweet taste to this well-balanced country meal. Frank's character is written with a sense of feeling, and his boyhood tragedy is presented as a lifelong sorrow, affecting, in a way, even his relationship with Wally. Bettany is superb as the troubled guy whose homosexuality has to be kept under wraps. The one person who understands him is his young niece, essayed with hesitant pluck by Lillis. Uncle Frank is a nicely layered, beautifully produced movie with marvellous period detailing and lensing.

Uncle Frank is now available on Amazon Prime Video.