Being Frank

Sure there are some laughs in this dark comedy, but frankly it's a story about an ordinary man who lies to the people he loves and teaches his son to do the same.

What a jerk. But what an interesting jerk to be at the center of a quirky and entertaining deadpan comedy/drama.

Unfortunately, in the filmmaker's narrative-feature debut, she takes the theme of betrayal and turns it into fodder for a sitcom, and not a particularly funny one at that.

It adopts a tonally dissonant and thematically confused approach to what is, in essence, little more than a Lifetime movie writ large.

The setup (script by Glen Lakin) is full of wacko screwball potential, some of which is mined, some of which misses the boat.

Gaffigan deals in exaggerated grimaces that shift back and forth from panic to guarded sincerity, which make for most of the movie's humor aside from some cutting lines by the supporting cast.

Jim Gaffigan shows us he can do both comedy and drama in this crazy film about lies begetting lies and the love a child for his father.

The movie blends humor with tragedy in a way that makes for both a wonderful profile of a gifted, misunderstood genius and a cautionary tale about being careful what you wish for in the world of the famous.

Being Frank threatens to sink under the weight of life-altering deception played for laughs.

It's hard to say who's more at fault: writer, director, actors, pool boy.