Uncle Frank
Official release poster
Directed byAlan Ball
Written byAlan Ball
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyKhalid Mohtaseb
Edited byJonathan Alberts
Music byNathan Barr
Production
companies
  • Miramax
  • Your Face Goes Here Entertainment
  • Byblos Entertainment
  • Cota Films
  • Parts & Labor
Distributed byAmazon Studios
Release dates
  • January 25, 2020 (2020-01-25) (Sundance)
  • November 25, 2020 (2020-11-25) (United States)
Running time
95 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Uncle Frank is a 2020 American comedy-drama film written, directed, and co-produced by Alan Ball. The film stars Paul Bettany and Sophia Lillis. Set in the 1970s, Uncle Frank is a road movie about a gay man who confronts his past.[1]

It had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 25, 2020. It was released on November 25, 2020, by Amazon Studios.

Plot

In 1973, 18-year-old Beth Bledsoe moves from her home in Creekville, South Carolina, to attend college in New York City. Her uncle Frank Bledsoe is a college professor there and is the relative she feels closest to as he is more refined and thoughtful than the rest of the family.

Beth meets a boyfriend, Bruce, and shows up with him unannounced to a party at Frank's apartment. Through events that happen at the party, she discovers that Frank is secretly gay and has been living with a man named Walid ("Wally") for over ten years. Frank rejects the sexual advance on Bruce's part, caring for Beth when she gets too drunk. He pleads with her not to tell anyone else in the family his secret, and she agrees.

The next day, Beth's grandfather and Frank's father, Daddy Mac, dies of a sudden heart attack. Frank agrees to drive Beth back to South Carolina for the funeral. Wally asks to come along and meet Frank's family, but Frank refuses, not yet ready to reveal the truth to them. However, Wally rents a car and follows them most of the way there; when Frank catches him, he agrees to let him come but stay in a motel during the funeral, fearful of what the locals might do if they discover their true relationship.

Along their journey, Frank has flashbacks to his teenage years and a sexual relationship he had with another boy named Samuel; his father caught them in bed together and called Frank an abomination against God. To cope with these memories, Frank begins secretly drinking; he asks Beth not to tell Wally as Frank is a recovering alcoholic.

Beth and Frank arrive home to attend the funeral. At the reading of the will, Frank learns he has been cut out of his inheritance, and the will bitterly exposes Frank's homosexuality to the family. An emotional Frank flees, driving away erratically while drinking heavily. A panicked Beth rushes to inform Wally, who drives them to the nearby lake where he suspects Frank went. A final flashback reveals that Frank told Samuel they could not be together as it displeased God, and Samuel drowned himself in the lake shortly after. Wally and Beth discover Frank's clothes sitting on a dock by the water, but Frank is nowhere to be seen.

Wally and Beth return to the motel, where Wally grieves for Frank's supposed death. However, a drunken Frank returns, claiming he just went for a swim. An argument ensues as Wally confronts Frank for his drinking; Frank punches Wally and calls him a faggot before fleeing again. They later reconcile at Samuel's grave as Frank expresses guilt for his death. Frank laments that he has no family left; Wally reassures him that he is Frank's family. After an impassioned speech from Beth, Frank agrees to let Wally meet his family. While Frank's brother-in-law is unable to morally accept the truth, his siblings and mother have no problem with the secret and warmly welcome Wally.

Cast

Release

It had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 25, 2020.[2][3][4][5] Shortly after, Amazon Studios acquired distribution rights to the film.[6] It was released on November 25, 2020.[7]

Reception

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 77% rating based on 119 reviews, with an average rating of 6.9/10. The site's critics consensus reads: "Uncle Frank finds writer-director Alan Ball still untangling the modern American family dynamic, aided by standout work from Paul Bettany and Sophia Lillis."[8] Metacritic reports a score of 58 out of 100, based on 21 critic reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[9]

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
2020
 Deauville American Film Festival Grand Prix (Grand Special Prize) Alan Ball Nominated [10]
Prix du Public (Audience Award) Won
Indiana Film Journalists Association Awards Best Actor Paul Bettany Nominated [11]
Best Ensemble Acting Uncle Frank Nominated
Mill Valley Film Festival Audience Award (U.S. Cinema) Alan Ball Won [12]
2021
 Dorian Awards LGBTQ Film of the Year Uncle Frank Nominated [13]
GLAAD Media Awards Outstanding TV Movie Won [14]
Gold Derby TV Awards TV movie Nominated [15]
Golden Nymph Awards Best Film Won [16]
Best Actor Paul Bettany Won
Best Creation Uncle Frank Won
Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild Awards Best Period and/or Character Makeup –
Television Special, One Hour or More Live Program Series or Movie for Television		 Lindsay Irish Desarno and Diane Heller Nominated [17]
Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Television Movie Bob Osher, Andrew Golov, Christopher Tricarico, Josh Peters, Isaac Ericson, Bill Block, Michael Costigan, Jay Van Hoy, Stephanie Meurer, Peter Macdissi and Alan Ball Nominated [18]
San Diego Film Critics Society Awards Best Supporting Actor Peter Macdissi Runner-up [19]
Best Ensemble Uncle Frank Nominated
Satellite Awards Best Television Film Nominated [20]
Writers Guild of America Awards Long Form – Original Alan Ball Nominated [21]

References

  1. ↑ Felperin, Leslie (January 25, 2020). "'Uncle Frank': Film Review | Sundance 2020". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on January 26, 2020. Retrieved January 26, 2020.
  2. ↑ Fleming, Mike Jr. (January 25, 2020). "Before Today's Sundance Premiere, 'American Beauty' Scribe Alan Ball Talks About His Film 'Uncle Frank'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 25, 2020. Retrieved January 26, 2020.
  3. ↑ Ingram, Hunter (December 4, 2019). "Wilmington-shot 'Uncle Frank' to premiere at 2020 Sundance Film Festival". Wilmington Star News. Archived from the original on January 26, 2020. Retrieved January 26, 2020.
  4. ↑ "Uncle Frank". www.sundance.org. Archived from the original on January 26, 2020. Retrieved January 26, 2020.
  5. ↑ Siegel, Tatiana (December 4, 2019). "Sundance Unveils Female-Powered Lineup Featuring Taylor Swift, Gloria Steinem, Abortion Road Trip Drama". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on December 5, 2019. Retrieved January 27, 2020.
  6. ↑ Fleming, Mike Jr. (January 27, 2020). "Alan Ball's 'Uncle Frank' Acquired By Amazon: Sundance". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 21, 2023. Retrieved January 27, 2020.
  7. ↑ Barfield, Charles (August 7, 2020). "'Uncle Frank' Clip: Paul Bettany & Sophia Lillis Star In This Sundance Standout Arriving This Thanksgiving". The Playlist. Archived from the original on May 27, 2022. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Uncle Frank (2020)", Rotten Tomatoes, Fandango, archived from the original on 2020-11-21, retrieved 2021-10-10
  9. ↑ Uncle Frank Reviews, archived from the original on 2020-11-24, retrieved 2020-12-12
  10. ↑ "Deauville film festival: Jude Law drama 'The Nest' wins top prize". France 24. 13 September 2020. Archived from the original on 5 November 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  11. ↑ "IFJA Announces 2020 Film Awards". Indiana Film Journalists Association. Archived from the original on February 27, 2021. Retrieved December 21, 2020.
  12. ↑ "IFJA Announces 2020 Film Awards". Mill Valley Film Festival. Mill Valley Film Festival. Archived from the original on November 1, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2020.
  13. ↑ Variety, April 18, 2021, by Jazz Tangcay, "Nomadland and Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Named Top Films at Dorian Awards" Archived 2021-04-19 at the Wayback Machine
  14. ↑ "Disclosure, Schitt's Creek, Sam Smith, Happiest Season, I May Destroy You, CHIKA, Veneno, Star Trek: Discovery, The Boys in the Band, The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo among award recipients at the 32nd Annual GLAAD Media Awards". GLAAD. April 8, 2021. Archived from the original on April 9, 2021. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  15. ↑ "2021 Gold Derby TV Awards nominations: 'The Crown,' 'Ted Lasso,' 'SNL,' 'Mare of Easttown' among top shows". Gold Derby. Gold Derby. 8 July 2021. Archived from the original on 17 July 2021. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
  16. ↑ "2021 Golden Nymph Awards Winners". Monte-Carlo Television Festival. Monte-Carlo Television Festival. Archived from the original on July 18, 2021. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
  17. ↑ "Nominations Announced for the 2021 Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild Awards". PR Newswire. 2021-02-18. Archived from the original on 2021-02-18. Retrieved 2021-02-25.
  18. ↑ "Uncle Frank". Emmys.com. Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on July 18, 2021. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
  19. ↑ "2020 San Diego Film Critics Society Award Winners". San Diego Film Critics Society. January 11, 2021. Archived from the original on January 13, 2021. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
  20. ↑ "2020 Winners". International Press Academy. Archived from the original on May 2, 2021. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
  21. ↑ Lewis, Hilary (February 3, 2021). "WGA Awards: 'Better Call Saul' Scores Leading 5 Nominations in TV, New Media, News Categories". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on February 4, 2021. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
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