Simply put, Lenny Abrahamson’s Frank, cannot be simply put. It’s ridiculous, puckishly funny, a paper mache filled paradise.  Jon Burroughs, played sweetly by Domhnall Gleeson, is a keyboardist and struggling songwriter who’s stumbled on the coolest band that no one’s heard of yet. The band, absurdly known as “Soronprfbs” and led by the mask-wearing title character (Michael Fassbender), acquires Jon for the recording of their new album, which will take place on an indefinite retreat in a faraway cabin in the woods.

The central question revolves around the character after which the film is titled: who is Frank? As the band rages into an eleven-month quest for freedom of expression, Jon’s fascinations with Frank and with his idea of success simultaneously increase. Is he a creative genius? Is he clinically insane? And why does he wear that darn paper mache head? Abrahamson cultivates a perfect sense of witty but effortless humor, with dry and muted performances from this cast of wacky characters. And they are wacky characters, for certain. But what’s great about Frank, is how it humanizes the wacky, or rather, how it reminds us of the inherent craziness that comes with being human.  We meet Jon first, as he is hopelessly trying to write a song about what he sees (“Lady in the Red Coat” is my personal favorite).  Musician or not, you can’t help but empathize with his attempts at something quite as large as writing a hit song, and then having the result be comically awful. It’s raw, funny, and it’s human—but most of all it is evidence that Abrahamson wastes no time making us love Jon, and the weird, weird, world he lives in.

Abrahamson’s quirky film isn’t without a soft side, though; his look at creativity, artistry, and mental health proves ultimately to be a sentimental one—despite a fair amount of tongue-in-cheek stabs at the avant-garde. Frank is a loving arm wrapped around all that is foolish and nonsensical yet worthwhile about art.  It combines truly satisfying humor with sweetness and absurdity. You may have the thought, “What strange people,” while watching this film. But that’s okay; it’s part of the fun. Most likely, it will be immediately followed by, “Oh yeah, people are weird,” and “I’m pretty weird too.” Frank’s reply to all of this would undoubtedly be, “I love you all.”