Movie feature: Robot and Frank

In the not-so-distant-future, 70 year old Frank Weld (played by Frank Langella) finds it’s increasingly difficult to manage living alone thanks to his memory slips. Worried that he can no longer take care of himself, his son Hunter (James Maarsden) does what any caring relative of the future would do: buys his father a robot caregiver.

Naturally, the curmudgeonly Frank is resistant to his humanoid companion at first — especially at the Robot’s attempts to make him eat healthy food and engage him in new hobbies. However, the Robot soon proves itself to be more than mere machine. With its sophisticated programming and kind demeanour, the Robot becomes a rational and caring friend.

But there’s a twist: Frank isn’t your average retiree — he’s a former cat burglar. As his health and well-being improve, his ambitions increase as well. Part of the Robot’s programming is to keep its charge active and engaged, and Frank soon discovers his companion has no qualms about his criminal pursuits. Soon Frank is training his Robot companion to help him with one last heist to impress the local librarian, Jennifer (Susan Sarandon).