Robot & Frank stars Frank Langella as a former burglar now living alone and suffering from Alzheimer. His son James Marsden makes regular long round trips to visit him. He buys him a robot to look after him and frankly so he can pop down less often.

Frank is a bit of a rebel, he still does petty shoplifting and we also learn he did long stretches of a prison time. Still his resentment for the robot soon turns to affection when he realises that he can use the robot to plan his next big burglary job against a man who humiliated him.

Frank has befriended a local librarian Susan Sarandon, who seems to be new to the town and seems to be attracted to Frank's rebellious streak. Frank's daughter Liv Tyler also pops down to see him but she resents the robot helper but that is because she spends so little time with Frank and feels guilty about it.

The film is set in a near future setting with automation gathering pace. It is also a mini heist film as Frank comes alive planning the burglary job and figuring that his robot helper is invaluable.

The film is also about memory, as Frank is invigorated, the Robot knows it has the incriminating evidence of the burglary on its hard drive as the cops close in.

There is a twist in the film concerning Frank's relationship with Sarandon but I am not sure Alzheimer and it effects on long term memory works in the way it is depicted here.

Robot & Frank is a small scale but charming film with a stellar performance from Langella. I have known for years his reputation as a Shakespearean stage actor but he has been rather wasted in celluloid. Here he gives a subtle performance and is matched by other actors as well as the robot.