Kategoriat
Uncategorized

Better Man review: Robbie Williams biopic get´s a single star

The movie chronicles the phenomenal rise, dramatic fall and remarkable comeback of British pop superstar and one of the greatest performers and entertainers of all time, Robbie Williams.

The film is told from Robbie Williams’ perspective, capturing his trademark humor and invincible attitude. The events follow Robbie’s childhood, his role as the youngest member of Take That, his rise to number one, and his extraordinary achievements as a solo artist. Along the way, Robbie faces the challenges of immense fame and success.
That’s about it.

I’ll focus on one aspect in this short review because it dwarfs all the others.

The film’s director Michael Gracey and Robbie Williams made a very special choice when they decided to portray Williams as an ape. Yes, you read that right. The singer himself justified the decision by saying that this would remove all the unnecessary pressure and expectations that come with being a person. So what?

That very decision made it impossible to watch this film with a serious face, when the other characters in the story are just ordinary people. When there’s suddenly a monkey in the middle, who the viewer should just accept as part of the story, then nothing comes of it.

I understand that sometimes it’s nice to try something new, but this film would have worked much better if the main character had been presented as a completely normal guy.

If Williams insisted on it, then the director should have really put the brakes on. The film is such a glossy-like skit about its star’s life that one strangely shaped character ruined the whole thing.

Text: Juho Kojima