Frank was fit

By "less believable" do you mean less believable as a mentally ill person? If so, then i think Fassbender's physical portrayal was intended to make the audience think Frank wasn't actually mentally ill.

If it wasn't for Frank's fake head, nearly everything he did in the early stages of the film would suggest that he is perfectly sane, comfortable, and reliable. For instance, when Don freaked out and attempted to commit suicide in the lake he was the one that comforted and restrained him. Another example would be when he was able to talk down the German speaking Mother. Most of his actions exemplified confidence and sanity.

I feel like his physical traits added to this, as it would suggest he was physically healthy - despite a diet which mainly consisted of foods that have been passed through a straw.

However, this view of Frank begins to disintegrate as Jon starts to bring the band toward the public eye and to "normal"/"mainstream" standards. It was almost shocking to see his behavior without the head.

hey skideflot

i am not quite sure why you find it "less believable". especially since you did not really express what about him having a fit body seemed far-fetched.

do you expect those with mental illness to all be out of shape or obese/morbidly obese? or slim,but with no muscle definition?

having been diagnosed with bi-polar i have unfortunately done my time in psych ward units. some better than others. and just like the world outside of hospitalization the patients come in all shapes, sizes, colors, ages, cultures, personalities, temperaments and levels of fitness--lol

i have been fortunate to have met some wonderful people during those inpatient hospitalizations--a few staff included. everyone has a story. from the girl who is tall and over 300 lbs. who won't shower, but has one of the warmest and prettiest smiles to the fit cool silver haired guy who looks like he'd wear a leather or denim jacket and be in "grease" or "rebel without a cause" and also won't wash up (but it was harder to tell--or should i say smell) but will wash his food--even food that does not require washing(e.g. already prepared/cooked meals), to the cool 20 something year old who played guitar for us in the recreation room, but loves to be barefoot, to the asian guy who i played ping pong with who was very fit--to the possibly anorexic chick who enjoyed eating while there.

some were quiet,nervous and sweet. some were nasty and mean. some were friendly and funny. the list goes on.

often times you would see a patient and wonder "why are they in here? they look like they have it together". sometimes the staff and actual psychiatrists looked and sounded more like they needed to be a patient!

point is all of these people, at some stage in their life, will hopefully return to the outside and do better/fare well. and you will see and meet--if you haven't already, people like them and maybe even talk with them and never know that they are considered mentally ill/ or given some diagnosis. simply put--mental illness does not have one kind of look on the outside. a person can look well put together and be in great shape and yet be falling apart on the inside.

i am curious to know what your perceptions are--like how do you imagine the mentally ill to look--fitness wise, etc? and my response is not an annoyed or angry one--just to let you know since reading typed words does not always give a sense of the tone in which i would have said it if we were talking directly.

'fit' and attractive people can have mental illness too you know..

''fit'' ? he seemed normal to me