Robot & Frank

This futuristic buddy movie is an irresistible charmer and a genuine pleasure to watch. Frank Langella gives a magnificent performance as the cranky, retired cat burglar slipping into dementia whose grown-up children give him a robot carer to improve his quality of life. But the still wily jewel thief soon convinces the ever-calm droid to become his partner in crime and commit one last heist for old time's sake. Springing poignant twists en route to its bittersweet ending, this engaging character study accents compassion and humour above any major use of special effects, and shuffles the marginal science-fiction elements neatly into the deeply humanist story. The low-tech robot is winningly played by Rachael Ma and voiced by Peter Sarsgaard, while director Jake Schreier hits just the right tone between laughter and emotion in his heartfelt feature debut.