A One Mann’s Movies review of “Frank and Percy”. (From the 2026 London Film Festival). (2026, 4*, NR).
This is the first world premiere presentation for me at this London Film Festival. It always feels very special to be in a room full of people that are the VERY FIRST to see a film projected. And this one will, I think, prove to be a big ‘silver dollar’ hit: it features not only the impeccable gay icon Sir Ian McKellen but also a HOST of other national treasures that pop up in cameo roles. Homophobes need not apply though.
The film is currently, as I post this, receiving its Gala screening at the Royal Festival Hall.
One Mann’s Movies Rating:
Plot:
Based on the hit West End play, Percy (Ian McKellen) and Frank (Roger Allam) are two lonely men who walk their dogs – Bruno, a Labrador, and Toffee, a cute spaniel – on Hampstead Heath. Frank was widowed from his ‘lobster’ 4 years ago and Percy is – well – free and easy. Percy is a well-to-do professor of sociology, flying the world to speak at conferences; Frank was from Pontefract, forcibly retired and living a frugal life. The pair – a bit of an odd couple at first sight – form an unlikely friendship that gradually turns into something more.
Certification:
UK: NR; US: NR. (This film has not yet received a classification by the BBFC, but I would expect it to be a 15 based on strong language and sexual references. Although, while I certainly doubt it would escape an R in the US for its homosexual context, I could see an argument for it getting a 12A over here in the UK.)
Talent:
Starring: Ian McKellen, Roger Allam, Jessica Gunning, Stephen Fry, Joanna Lumley, Amari Bacchus and a host of other famous UK faces.
Directed by: Sean Mathias.
Written by: Martin Sherman, Ben Weatherill.
Running Time: 1h 49m.
Review:
Positives:
- Assuming you are comfortable with LGBTQ themes, there is very little to possibly dislike in this film. Frank and Percy have light, easy-going conversations that start with the weather and then roam into more personal topics such as their past loves and their ongoing issues. The film smashes the 6-laughs test but there are dozens and dozens of ‘smile’ moments. It feels like a big warm hug of a film for most of the running time. There are some great comic lines in the film:
- Percy (on returning from Denver): “I’ve never met so many people so actively interested in sport… it was disgusting”;
- Frank: “Karaoke bars match people who shouldn’t drink with people who shouldn’t sing”
- Percy’s very young date: “Daddy knows I’m a bad, bad boy!”.
- The film is chock full of cameo performance: a vet; a massager; a fitness instructor; two females in the fitness class; both of Percy’s dating app dates (both hilarious!); a charity shop owner; a fellow dog-walker; an ‘uber driver’…. part of the fun of watching the movie is seeing these faces popping up. I’ve popped them in the ‘tags’ at the bottom of the post listing (and of course they are on IMDB), if you want to name-check them, but I’ve left them out of this review.
- Two more significant roles I will mention are the impeccable Joanna Lumley – still looking radiant and lovely at an incredible 80 years old – and that national treasure of equal worth, Stephen Fry. Lumley plays Frank’s sister-in-law, struggling with dementia and with some touching things to say about the disease. And Fry plays an old boyfriend of Percy’s who still lives just streets away and is suffering from prostate cancer. Also good value is Jessica Gunning as Frank’s lodger Emily, constantly fretting over his welfare and occasionally getting very much the wrong end of the stick!
- Mixed in with all the humour is the tart sting of some pathos. Frank, even after four years, is obviously still grieving for his long-gone wife. While looking at a disposable barbeque in a garden centre, he morosely describes to a young shop assistant (Amari Bacchus) how, on the first day of summer, he and his wife would always have an outside barbeque, regardless of the weather. (In a genuinely touching moment, the young lad goes and gets him a mug of tea to console him.) Percy also has his issues and, perhaps belying a lifetime of struggles for gay rights, has a habit of lashing out in a cruel and unpleasant way, which adds a little spice to the mix.
- I enjoyed the score by Ben Pearson and the warm cinematography by Ryan Eddleston.
Negatives:
- It’s what I would class as a lovely, pleasant film to watch. It doesn’t really break any movie boundaries or have many “wow” moments. It’s just… plain nice.
Summary Thoughts:
This is a well-scripted, well-directed film. The director is Sean Mathias, who directed the wonderfully different film version of Hamlet in 2024, also starring Ian McKellen. (A film which has a One Mann’s Movies quote on the BluRay cover!)
I think Frank and Percy will go down a storm with the silver-surfer cinema-going public when it is released in the UK “early next year”. I will certainly be taking the Illustrious Mrs Movie Mann to see this one as I think she is going to love it as much as I did. Very much recommended.
Where to watch?
Trailer:
The trailer for the film is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TD53yGurQsw. Note that this trailer reveals five of those cameos I haven’t mentioned in this review.
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