Powerful

Just what I expected

Great Film overall

Blistering performances.

Frank (Michael Shannon) is a mercurial chef in Las Vegas. He has a passionate romance with mysterious budding fashion designer Lola (Imogen Poots). She reveals that her mother's former boyfriend Alan Larsson (Michael Nyqvist) had raped her. Her new boss Keith Winkleman (Justin Long) gets Frank an audition for a famous chef in France. After the audition, Frank heads for Paris to confront Alan.The start is a bit muddled and disjointed. Frank and Lola need a good meet cute. Shannon is great at the brooding dark role. Despite the age difference, Poots projects a damaged soul who is attracted to Shannon's powerful darkness. I do question the confrontation with Alan. I can't believe that Alan would invite a perfect stranger into his love nest unless he's looking for a homoerotic one-night stand. I would increase the tension by having Frank kidnap him ending up at Alan's pad. The entire movie is a little disjointed but I do appreciate the noirish style. It could have been executed better.

A psychosexual noir love story, set in Las Vegas and Paris, about love, obsession, sex, betrayal, revenge and, ultimately, the search for redemption. Frank & Lola is a crime mystery starring Michael Shannon, Imogen Poots and Justin Long and somehow it has a 6/10 in IMDb and a 66% on Rotten Tomatoes and unfortunately even with some pretty good talented people in here it's still a dull drama with talent getting wasted and every scene just repeats it self it goes from cooking to sex to cooking to sex and on and on and this is why i can't take critics seriously and unfortunately nobody could save this not even Shannon himself. (3/10)

This was Michael Shannon's show as Frank, but the plot developed mysteries surrounded by character Lola that played by Imogen Poots. Basically the entire film is about these two and after the halfway mark, another character joins them to add more suspense. Well, it was the story of a decently succeeded chef and his new girlfriend. Their relationship strengthens in a short period of time. They think they know each other enough, but one day a new secret revealed from Lola's past. That's the beginning of everything in this film, following many turns in the narration, the story reaches its end.The major issue was too much suspense. The writing should have been simplified. So not everybody easily understands the film or the purposes of film scenes/events. But it is more revenge based than psychological thriller-drama. That does not mean you can rule out everything else possibilities. Lola is the key and till the final scene she frequently diverts the story developments to give a new perspective on where the film is heading. So definitely not predictable film, particularly not the conclusion. This is exclusively for neo-noir fans. But for others it is one time watchable film.5/10

Greetings again from the darkness. Michael Shannon continues to be one of the most interesting actors working today. In this first feature from writer/director Matthew Ross, Mr. Shannon is the titular Frank, and his pained facial expressions elevate this neo-noir into a dark and intriguing exposition on male obsession and sexual jealousy.The abrupt opening scene finds Frank and Lola (Imogen Poots) frolicking in bed after obviously just meeting for the first time that evening. We (and Lola) know we are in for something a bit different when Frank slams on the breaks and states, "Maybe we should wait until next time." Lola is taken aback, and we are soon watching this relationship develop … while simultaneously noting the subtle signs of troubled pasts for each of them.Frank is a talented French chef and Lola is just starting her career as a fashion designer. His dark side flashes a bit more often, but before Lola ever comes clean, we realize there is unhappiness in her past. They seem to be two tortured souls in a jinxed relationship.Filmmaker Ross keeps us (and Frank) on our toes as the script seems to continually offer yet another deeply held secret or mysterious character. Justin Long plays Lola's new employer, while the rarely-seen-these-days Rosanna Arquette plays Lola's name-dropping mother. However, it's Michael Nyquist (so great in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) as the suave Frenchman with ties to Lola's past and present that really makes things interesting … and somehow even darker. His wife is played by the terrific French actress Emmanuelle Devos. Her screen time is limited, yet crucial.The film was well received at Sundance, and it shares the creepiness of such films as Basic Instinct, Body Heat and Night Moves. Rarely do contemporary movies go as deep into the male psyche of obsession as this one, and the throw-back atmosphere is a perfect fit for the tone. Not many actors simmer like Michael Shannon, and the story offers him the perfect vehicle to remind us that everyone longs to be loved - even when we aren't sure we deserve it.