“Frank and Penelope” (2022) tells the story of a man from Austin, portrayed by Billy Budinich, who encounters an appealing dancer, Caylee Cowan, and together they journey toward West Texas—though they mistakenly find themselves in a town governed by a captivating but disturbed figure played by Johnathon Schaech. Kevin Dillon appears as the Sheriff. Sean Patrick Flanery wrote and directed this unusual romantic road movie that also incorporates elements of crime drama and thriller; he’s previously recognized for his role in “Powder” (1995). His direction evokes comparisons to filmmakers like Tarantino and Rob Zombie, but with a touch of artistic sensibility similar to Darren Aronofsky. The film shares qualities with movies such as “Psycho III” (1986), "True Romance" (1993), “Chasers” (1994), "Love and a .45" (1994), "Kalifornia" (1993), "The Hot Spot" (1990), and “Ravenous” (1999). Johnathon Schaech’s character, Chisos, even calls to mind Neal McDonough's performance in “Ravenous.” In my estimation, “Frank and Penelope” surpasses all of these. Given the influences at play, some degree of sleaze, violence, unpleasantness, and distortion is unavoidable, but there are also moments of beauty and warmth. The film explores contrasts like that between desire and affection. Caylee Cowan delivers a striking performance reminiscent of Marilyn Monroe. The stark West Texas landscapes provide a beautiful backdrop, and the vibrant color scheme stands out as a particular strength. I’m relieved to see the trend toward desaturated colors from years past seems to be fading away. Sydney Scotia also appears in a significant role as Molly. The movie has a runtime of 1 hour, 52 minutes, and was filmed on location in Austin and Terlingua, Texas, which is situated within the Big Bend region. GRADE: A-

Source on TMDB