“Better Man”
R/Musical/Drama/135 Mins
Directed by: Michael Gracey
Written by: Simon Gleeson, Oliver Cole, Michael Gracey
Starring: Robbie Williams, Jonno Davies (“Hunters”), Steve Pemberton (“The League of Gentlemen’s Apocalypse”), Damon Harriman (“Mindhunter”), Raechelle Banno (“Home and Away”), Alison Steadman (“The King’s Man”), Kate Mulvany (“Elvis”)
Review: “Who the f**k is Robbie Williams?” This is probably the first question that crossed the minds of most Americans when they watched the trailer for this movie. The second inquiry they had was most likely “Why is he a CGI monkey?” I’m probably 1 of 50 people in the US who were actually aware of the massive British pop star but only from a song or two. Along with the fact that he is portrayed as a CGI monkey, à la Caesar from the recent “Planet of the Apes” movies, was enough of a drawing point for me. Especially after the slew of music biopics of recent years, most follow the same formula. The rise and fall of “X”, the accidental creations of one of the biggest songs ever written sprinkled throughout and then a finale at a career defining concert that leaves the audience speechless. Some are great, some are bad, but in essence, we’ve seen it all.The genre needed a shake up, and “Better Man” caused an earthquake but not by that much…
“Better Man” follows British entertainer Robbie Williams from childhood to his 90s stardom in UK boy band “Take That” to his eventual solo career. It also chronicles his downfall due to addiction and mental health. The film doesn’t shy away from his troubles and controversy. And yes, to answer your question, the reason why they chose to portray himself as a CGI monkey is valid. Stated by Williams himself, the director Michael Gracey asked him what animal he saw himself as. Robbie said after being denied to be a lion, he saw himself as a monkey. In a way, it perfectly encapsulates the entertainer. Dealing with fame from such a young age, it’s easy to feel like a “dancing monkey” performing in front of crowds night after night.
Taking a unique turn similar to the Elton John biopic “Rocketman”, instead of just having Williams perform his songs on stage, it takes the musical approach. By having the musical sequences showcase his songs, they also serve as a purpose to express how the protagonist is feeling internally and how they view their self-perception. In my opinion, the musical numbers were the biggest standout. It’s probably one of the few aspects of the film that I did enjoy. This is where the motion capture (performed excellently by Jonno Davies) of CGI Robbie shines and where Michael Gracey really shows his filmmaking chops. Unfortunately, while I think it shows slightly more visual flair compared to “Wicked” in terms of color and technical aspects, I didn’t necessarily connect with most of the songs accompanying them.
Same can be said with the overall story. While the film does introduce Williams, Take That, and his success story, it doesn’t feel entirely inclusive for the audience members (primarily American audiences) who have no idea who anyone is. It feels like an inside joke and I don’t understand the punchline. In between the musical sequences, his rise to fame tale felt clunky and too fleeting to really feel the impact of the star in the making. On top of that, it felt like the Cliff Notes version of a biopic hitting familiar notes. The only thing that makes the concept seem innovative/fresh is seeing a CGI monkey cuss, dance on stage and do hard drugs.
The film seems so focused on expressing how famous Williams and his band is yet fails to show why their music was so revolutionary and important. It’s also difficult to connect to the protagonist when it’s hard to root for him. Since his personality is brash, selfish, and cocky, I understand how you’re supposed to find him to be flawed. Also, it’s a biopic so you know the second half is going to attempt to redeem his character to where he becomes a “Better Man” (wink wink). It does have some emotional beats that did touch the heart a bit, however, by then I already felt checked out on this character and his story. It also doesn’t help that unlike most biopics that either have an outsider’s perspective on the subject or minimal input, Williams narrating throughout just made the film feel self indulgent.
“Better Man” is a different type of biopic to watch in theaters this weekend. However, if you had no idea who the f**k Robbie Williams is, you will know by the end of it…but will you care?
Score: 5/10
“Better Man” is now playing in theaters everywhere.
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