To Be Frank

Directed by Steve Baker

2025

Benbini Baker Productions

Leicester native, singer and multi-instrumentalist Frank Benbini is a busy man, and Steve Baker’s documentary, To Be Frank, is quick to highlight this. From Uncle Frank, his collaboration with his younger brother, Darryl, and Niam Cortazzi; to drumming duties with Fun Lovin’ Criminals; touring with Deborah Bonham, sister of the legendary Led Zepplin drummer; playing with UB40; and putting out a series of reggae Prince remixes under the name Radio Riddler.

The first half of the film, which was ten years in the making, in part due to the Covid pandemic, spends a lot of time on this. Quickly jumping from Frank’s early life in Leicester to joining Fun Lovin’ Criminals. Frank is an affable subject, with an easy-going demeanour and he rattles through his influences, and his very accepting parents who nurtured his early drumming skills.

But for a film that claims to go in-depth on the highs and lows of a career in music – the opening monologue highlights the fact that musicians, and anyone in the creative world, has to continuously give everything they have to it – there’s little substance to the first half.

It jumps too quickly. One minute Frank is a teenager starting to play bands; the next he’s recording an album in America with Babygenius; then tracking drums with Fun Lovin’ Criminals and departing on a world tour. This latter event didn’t happen until Frank was nearly 27 and means we’re missing nearly a decade of his music career. Arguably the decade that would be the most informative for those trying to break into the industry.

Perhaps due to the break caused by the pandemic, there’s some pacing issues at the start. These changes are through no fault of the filmmakers, but the added scenes feel squeezed in amongst a more cohesive narrative. Another run through the editing suite could have helped fix this, as well possibly cutting a few minutes off the runtime which is filled with montages often from the same music videos and tours.

However, in the second half, there is more substance. Frank, as well as his friends and family, talk openly about the impact of Covid on the independent music scene and the closure of venues across the country. He also discusses his struggles with anxiety and is frank about his previous drug use and how this may have exasperated his mental health issues.

It's a saving grace for the film, not because we want to hear about someone suffering, but because it provides more than a simple rundown of Frank’s career. It highlights the toll that the constant high of touring and playing music, followed by the lull in-between, can have on a person.

In the end, To Be Frank, is entertaining but ultimately falls a little short. There are mentions of Frank’s harder personal qualities, such as a fiery temperament, but these are set aside. This is a film that carefully walks a middle line; there’s a lot of information on Uncle Frank – his most personal project – and Radio Riddler, but little on the other bands he’s played with.

If this is a look at breaking into the music business and carving a sustainable career, then it sadly overlooks some those vital early moments in Frank’s life. Someone with his level of industry experience would be a big font of knowledge for adapting to a world of streaming, for organising tours and recording sessions, for getting your foot in the door. Here, we just take a look behind the curtain at someone who has already done it.

★★½

2.5 / 5

Matthew Tilt

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