Joe Turner
30 Dec 2024
Better Man is a biographical film that chronicles the life and career of singer Robbie Williams, focusing on his rise to fame, personal struggles, and the complexities of his public and private life.
Better Man Review:
Since Remi Malek’s Bohemian Rhapsody started wave after wave of music biopics, the genre has become a bit tired, so rather cleverly, Robbie Williams and Michael Gracey decided to represent Williams as his spirit animal, a chimpanzee, which was brilliantly refreshing. After a while, you forget you are looking at a monkey at all.
The visual effects are amazing, and it’s underpinned by an outstanding performance by young actor Jonno Davies. You will find yourself getting embroiled in the sheer emotion of Robbie’s story as it unfolds; it’s captivating.
The film takes the Rocket Man route; the hits are spread throughout and worked into the narrative via immense musical numbers, especially Rock DJ on Regent Street—breathtaking. And, most importantly, the film doesn’t shy away from Robbie at his worst; it is brutally honest.
It also in a way has three separate acts: the first is him as a cheeky young lad in Stoke, the second is trainspotting, and the third is the Battle of the Bastard—all you need to know is it really works—somehow...
