PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Have you ever had a secret that was so disturbing, that if it was to ever come out, it would change your life forever? This is what Bad Frank digs into.
Gravitas Ventures introduces Bad Frank, which was written and directed by Tony Germinario and stars Kevin Interdonato (The Sopranos) as Frank Pierce, Amanda Clayton (Bleed for This) as Gina Pierce, Tom Sizemore (Saving Private Ryan) as Mickey Duro, Brandon Heitkamp (Dirty Dead Con Men) as Travis Lugar, and Brian O’Halloran (Clerks) as Donny Shakes.
The official synopsis:
Frank Pierce (Interdonato) leads a seemingly normal life, but when a disturbing past re-emerges and something precious is taken from him, his mask of sanity loosens and unearths the urge to be violent once again.
Bad Frank is a drama/thriller that starts off at a slow pace that gives you time to get to know each of the main characters before the shit hits the fan. I enjoyed the way the story was told in the first act where Frank, who seems to have a happy life living in a quiet suburban area with his wife, shows signs of his anger issues coming to the forefront before calming down and bottling up his emotions. For the most part, he seems to keep it under control, but the littlest things can set him off. Towards the end of the first act, someone from his past shows up and puts him in a predicament that he can’t get out of. Once this happens, the film goes into overdrive and Frank becomes violent.
However, once the second act picks up, it starts to drag a bit and Frank makes some choices that make it seem like he’s not in much of a hurry to get on with his revenge, which really hampers the rest of the film.
Besides the inconsistent pacing issues that plagued the film, I thought the story overall wasn’t bad. Learning bits and pieces of Frank’s past was rather interesting and showed that he was not someone to mess with. Kevin Interdonato does an excellent job as someone who is constantly at odds with his anger.
The high point in this film for me is definitely the acting. Every character has something to hide and it shows through each actor’s performance, especially Kevin Interdonato and Tom Sizemore. When on screen together, they have excellent chemistry. They are very believable as old partners who have become enemies. Even the ancillary characters, like Frank’s wife, Gina (Clayton) and his close friend, Travis (Heitklamp), do an excellent job!
Besides the pacing, the only other real complaint I had was the lack of onscreen violence. Although it’s not necessary, the film would have made much more of an impact to see the damage Frank could actually cause when he goes into a rage.
Besides a few minor complaints, I think Bad Frank is an overall enjoyable character study that horror fans should give a chance. Bad Frank got released on VOD July 7, 2017 worldwide, so check it out and tell us what you think!
