Set in London, Frank and Percy focuses on the two title characters: Percy (Ian McKellen), a professor and writer, and Frank (Roger Allam), a retired history teacher. The two elderly men meet by chance as they are walking their dogs on Hampstead Heath and end up regularly meeting and chatting about their lives, families, and dogs. Over time, their regular chats turn into a beautiful friendship that neither of them had expected, and perhaps something more as the two start developing feelings for each other.  

The aerial shots of London situate us immediately in the English capital and, more specifically, in Hampstead Heath where most of the movie takes place. With many pivotal scenes taking place on the Heath itself, including the first meeting between the two main characters, the location becomes the beating heart of this film as its narration focuses on various parts of Hampstead Heath, like Frank’s favourite place to get a lemon square or the bookstore where Percy has his book launch.

This is one of the most significant changes from the play, which is also set in Hampstead Heath, as the movie is able to showcase its location a lot more through the screen than it would have on the stage. As Ian McKellen said at the Q&A after the film, this is a London movie through and through, from its location to small details like Percy almost being run over by a bike or the number one bus he often takes across Waterloo Bridge. 

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The film reunited part of the original team that worked on the stage production: Sean Mathias is directing again, this time for the screen, and both McKellen and Allam reprise their respective roles they had once originated on the stage. While the story grew into something different for the film, which allows it to visually show a lot more, such as the incredible dogs that are a huge part of the movie, one thing remains the same: the central couple.

McKellen and Allam have a wonderful chemistry with each other and an excellent comedic timing, both of which are no doubt due to having done the stage version together as well and knowing these characters are deeply as an actor would after a stage show. The narrative in this film centres queer joy. While this should not be a radical or progressive concept, so many queer stories portrayed on screen either end up tragically or focus on the struggles of the characters. The latter are both very true experiences as well, but seeing a film where joy and laughter are front and centre is incredibly refreshing as the audience joins Frank and Percy in their love story and all the milestones and difficulties that come with it. In a landscape of relatively bleak and sad movies, this film stands out just for how much fun it is to watch.

With many moments where the audience laughed out loud, it seems that the viewers can have as much fun with it as the cast and crew clearly had when making the movie.   Overall, Frank and Percy is a wonderful, hilarious, and heart-warming comedy that reminds us that it is never too late to fall in love. With adorable dogs, excellent humour, and a focus on Hampstead Heath and its beauty, Mathias creates a well-made adaptation of the theatre play of the same name.

★★★

Played at the 2026 BFI London Film Festival / Ian McKellen, Roger Allam / Dir: Sean Mathias /Kaleidoscope Film Distribution / 15

About the Author

Clotilde Chinnici

Author

Clotilde’s love for film began at a very young age with the Disney cartoons she would watch over and over. However, her passion for films truly sparked with franchises like Hunger Games and Harry Potter. After graduating with a BA in Film from King’s College London, Clotilde started working in film production and entertainment journalism while developing a deeper understanding of film movements and trends. Although most of her time is occupied by watching films, writing and talking about them to anyone who will listen, Clotilde enjoys reading and baking in her free time.

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