The Movie Waffler New Release Review (VOD) - BAD FRANK | The Movie Waffler

New Release Review (VOD) - BAD FRANK

bad frank review
A former gangster seeks revenge when his past catches up with him.







Review by Emily Craig

Directed by: Tony Germinario

Starring: Kevin Interdonato, Amanda Clayton, Tom Sizemore, Brandon Heitkamp, Russ Russo

bad frank poster

Frank seems to have it all: a stunningly beautiful wife, a lovely home and a stable job; what’s not to love? Directed and co-written by Tony Germinario, Bad Frank is a tale of revenge. Frank Pierce (Kevin Interdonato) gets caught up with a couple of unwanted figures from his past and suddenly he’s roped into a dodgy drug deal gone wrong. Things soon escalate and Frank’s precious wife Gina (Amanda Clayton) gets kidnapped, resulting in Frank going down a path of turmoil and violence to get her back.

bad frank

Revenge thrillers are very common in Hollywood, especially the Taken series with Liam Neeson, which is comparable to Bad Frank in some ways. Bad Frank however isn’t a Hollywood film and therefore doesn’t come with the tropes and patterns that you would usually see in one: heavy action sequences, popular soundtrack and a happy ending with a cherry on top – you can forget all that with this film. Please don’t watch it expecting to see Taken, because then I think you will be slightly disappointed – watch the film with an open mind. What Germinario has focussed on here is carefully scripted dialogue and character relations to create grit and suspense. Don’t get me wrong, there are a few action scenes that are brutal, but it isn’t that sort of film. There’s true raw emotion between Frank and the other characters we see in the film, and with that comes spectacular acting. Interdonato is on form as Frank and carries the character very well.

bad frank

As the film goes on, we realise as a viewer that Frank’s life isn’t all what it seems and that there is a dark past hovering over him. There are many twists and turns in the film, which keep it interesting enough. The cinematography is gritty and impressive and the sound editing is slick; it really is a fashionable piece.

bad frank

No, the film isn’t anything original in terms of plot. I mean, how many times have we seen a film where the main protagonist’s family member has been taken and they act in revenge? So many times! This doesn’t however make Bad Frank any less of a film than any of the other entries in this genre. Yes, at times it can get slightly tedious, but the ending is enough to put anybody on edge and is extremely harrowing. The film has been nominated for its fair share of awards and even won a few, which isn’t surprising.

Bad Frank is on VOD now.