Uncle Frank

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2:36

Uncle Frank

R

2020

1h 35m

Drama

LGBTQ+

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

77%

Tomatometer

122 Reviews

83%

Popcornmeter

500+ Ratings

In 1973, teenaged Beth Bledsoe (Sophia Lillis) leaves her rural Southern hometown to study at New York University where her beloved Uncle Frank (Paul Bettany) is a revered literature professor. She soon discovers that Frank is gay, and living with his longtime partner Walid “Wally” Nadeem (Peter Macdissi) -- an arrangement that he has kept secret for years. After the sudden death of Frank's father -- Beth’s grandfather -- Frank is forced to reluctantly return home for the funeral with Beth in tow, and to finally face a long-buried trauma that he has spent his entire adult life running away from.

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Critics Consensus

Uncle Frank finds writer-director Alan Ball still untangling the modern American family dynamic, aided by standout work from Paul Bettany and Sophia Lillis.

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Mark Kermode

Kermode & Mayo's Film Review

12/02/2020

I thought this is the best performance [Paul Bettany's] given since Gangster No. 1... secondly it's really funny.

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Richard Whittaker

Austin Chronicle

12/01/2020

Uncle Frank revolves around Uncle Frank, and Bettany's career-great performance as a man who knows where the gaps are in his life, and how much his whole relationship with his family is about holding his breath.

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Kevin Maher

The Times (UK)

11/29/2020

2/5

Even Paul Bettany firing on all available cylinders can't quite save this mixed-bag melodrama from its flimsiness.

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Geoffrey Macnab

iNews.co.uk

Jan 16

3/5

The emphasis is on redemption and reconciliation. It all makes for pleasant enough storytelling but the film doesn’t dig nearly as deep as you first expect it might.

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Michael Cuby

them.

09/28/2022

Uncle Frank is sure to be one of Amazon’s future awards season players.

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Tom O'Brien

Next Best Picture

06/14/2022

5/10

It's a film with too many instances where characters do completely out-of-character actions simply to advance the plot.

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Alain E

@AlainE Jan 3

I gave up after the prolonged flashbacks to the protagonist’s sexual awakening. Totally unnecessary.

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Peter K

@Vacadoug Jul 26

Beautifully done from start to finish. This was amazing!

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Collin H

Mar 16

Charming movie that packs a surprising emotional punch. Bettany is superb in the lead role.

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Ridwoan R

08/14/2024

Very beautiful and heartwarming story.

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PridePosterStudios

09/20/2023

Beth “Mr Jiggerson? But he’s so…religious?” Frank: “HA”

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John D

05/02/2023

Beautifully written, marvelously acted, and with wonderful cinematography, I can't say enough good things.

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Alan Ball

Director

Paul Bettany

Frank Bledsoe

Sophia Lillis

Beth Bledsoe

Peter Macdissi

Walid "Wally"

Steve Zahn

Mike Bledsoe

Judy Greer

Kitty Bledsoe

Uncle Frank: Movie Clip - We Can Take Turns Driving

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Uncle Frank: Movie Clip

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Uncle Frank: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

In 1973, teenaged Beth Bledsoe (Sophia Lillis) leaves her rural Southern hometown to study at New York University where her beloved Uncle Frank (Paul Bettany) is a revered literature professor. She soon discovers that Frank is gay, and living with his longtime partner Walid “Wally” Nadeem (Peter Macdissi) -- an arrangement that he has kept secret for years. After the sudden death of Frank's father -- Beth’s grandfather -- Frank is forced to reluctantly return home for the funeral with Beth in tow, and to finally face a long-buried trauma that he has spent his entire adult life running away from.

Director: Alan Ball
Producer: Alan Ball, Bill Block, Michael Costigan, Stephanie Meurer, Jay Van Hoy
Screenwriter: Alan Ball
Production Co: Parts and Labor, Miramax, Your Face Goes Here Entertainment, Amazon Studios
Rating: R (Some Sexual References|Language|Drug Use)
Genre: Drama, LGBTQ+
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 25, 2020
Runtime: 1h 35m
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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