It's holding steady in the 6 theatres in US -but again -is the revenue reasonable or a total disaster -I haven't got a clue

 

Still think for US it's important just to registrate the movie for big Awards so quantity of cinemas doesn't matter until Dec-10.

Then - yes, it will be very important.

Fingers crossed!

Good choice of the movies, Mr Gracey! :)

 

 

+ small interview for Chile

 

The film cost $110 million to make, so yeah, unless it develops unprecedented legs it is a disaster from a box office point of view.

 

It was equity financed so the investors don’t get any money back unless it makes a profit.

 

Of course that doesn’t mean it won’t do its job for Rob’s profile. It would be much better for it to be a smash hit, but as long as he didn’t invest in it himself he has nothing to lose but his dignity.

this is a bit harsh, Kathryn. if anybody whose movie flopped would have lost his/her dignity than they have all if the old movie stars or even the gaga's of this time. I think it would have been an issue if the film would be a critics failure (no loss of dignity though). Until now I read 90 percent great reviews if not more. Robbie invested into the promotion more than in any album I can remember and those who saw the film are positive. I have personally been worried from the beginning if this movie will fly, but I am sure he did not lose his dignity and neither his reputation. Still it is very early to say what will happen in January. The figures seem not to be that bad for the UK and the USA? Well, he has not been on any prominent talk show yet. If it will not work then it will not work. He had fought some demons though and took the chance. This is what counts in my opinion.

 

I really like this review , I think he got it spot on ....

 

 

My CULTURAL Life

 

BETTER MAN Review *****

 

It’s animal magic as Robbie Williams’ origin story is retold as an audacious coming-of-ape tale

 

 

 

This is a novel movie biography and no mistake! Robbie Williams is executive producer on this candid look at the toxic force of envy that drove his musical career from Take That to one of the biggest solo stars in the world, but turned a talented musician into a deeply unhappy man. And he’s played by a monkey. Or rather it’s actor Jonno Davies plus motion capture wizardry perfected on the Planet of the Apes reboot and Williams himself supplying the voiceover. Throw in the flashy visual flourishes of The Greatest Showman director Michael Gracey and the results are animal magic!

 

Neither hagiography nor hatchet job, Robbie starts his journey on the rain-spattered streets of Stoke on Trent as Robert, a cocky, working-class kid (or chimp, in his own eyes) who “came out of the womb with jazz hands”, failed all his school examinations and then spent a lifetime in a desperate need to please his fame-obsessed, showboating absent father (Steve Pemberton – excellent), a low rent singer and MC obsessed with the Rat Pack, who sings “My Way” in working men’s clubs.

 

Robert claims that Take That manager Nigel Martin-Smith (‘a c**t’) renaming him Robbie for the group’s launch was the best present because it gave him a character/persona to hide behind. NMS also has one of the best lines said to the Take That boys in the same scene: “In 5 years we are all going to hate each other but we are going to be filthy rich”.

 

Brilliant choreographer Ashley Wallen has created several epic, jaw-dropping dreamlike musical sequences, with a flash mob of hundreds erupting on Regent Street to the sound of the Williams hit “Rock DJ,” stunningly captured by Erik Wilson’s sweeping camera; and a gorgeously romantic shipboard rendition of “She’s the One,” as Williams meets his future fiancée, All Saints girl-band singer Nicole Appleton (Home & Away’s Raechelle Banno). Recreated concert sequences, including Robbie’s solo gig at Knebworth in front of 120,000 screaming fans, are never less than exhilarating.

 

Robbie sent the script to his band nemesis, Gary Barlow, who complained he comes off worse than Darth Vader in the first Star Wars film, but he’s actually played by Jake Simmance more as a prig with no time for anyone else’s input into songwriting. He dismisses Rob’s lyrics without reading them and we know from his later songs with Guy Adams that Robbie is a budding Bernie Taupin.

 

Why portray Robbie as a monkey? It may seem stupid – but it’s utterly inspired.

 

The film is constantly self-flagellating, but remarkably, Williams never comes across as self-pitying. His cheeky voice-over, along with the vivacity of Jonno Davies’s performance as his adult avatar, and the sheer verve of Gracey’s filmmaking ensure a tone that’s rarely less than exuberant.

 

It is ridiculously enjoyable.

 

https://mycultural.life/film/better-man/

Edited December 31, 2024Dec 31 by Sydney11

How Weta Workshop turned Robbie Williams into an ape for pop-star biopic ‘Better Man’

 

 

Weta Workshop, the New Zealand-based visual-effects company founded by Peter Jackson, was initially tasked with helping pre-vis 10 dance numbers for Robbie Williams biopic Better Man. But when director Michael Gracey decided to make his main character an ape, it turned into almost 2,000 visual-effects shots and three years of work.

 

“A lot of the technology we developed for Planet Of The Apes, for Avatar, was employed on this. But this movie does stand apart,” begins Luke Millar, Better Man’s visual-effects supervisor whose credits include Thor: Love And Thunder and Dawn Of The Planet of The Apes.

 

“In Planet Of The Apes and Avatar, we’ve got digital characters and digital environments in the frame together, whereas in Better Man, we’ve got one digital character in the real world. Robbie [appears as] an ape. He’s essentially human, the way everyone interacts with him is human, and no-one ever acknowledges he is an ape. It’s a visual representation.”

 

To design simian Robbie, Weta started with a sliding scale. “At one end you’ve got a 100% photo of a real chimp, at the other you’ve got Robbie Williams the human, and the design is going to land somewhere along this scale,” says Millar.

 

“Very early on, Michael and the team were focused on likeness. They wanted to make sure people would instantly see Robbie in the design, so we worked up a series of concept frames using a chimp as a base, then introducing Robbie elements to it. Do we go human with the teeth? How much of Robbie’s mouth do we incorporate? There’s obviously going to be physical differences between a chimp and Robbie Williams, but at what point do we blend these things together?”

 

In the end, Millar felt the connection to the digital Robbie would be through his eyes, so lent heavily into the real Williams for that. “I said to Michael, ‘Let’s go 100% with Robbie for the eyes.’ And, by extension, the eyebrows. It’s the first time we’ve done an ape with eyebrows.”

 

Weta scanned Williams’ face and took close-up reference photography of his eyes and body, including tattoos. “We recreated the eyes 100% into the chimp, then lent more into the chimp physiology everywhere else in the face, with the muzzle, nose and ears. That hit the sweet spot we were looking for between recognising Robbie but also understanding this is a chimp as well.”

 

The final version featured more than one million strands of digital fur. But designing the look is only half the job.

 

“The other half is performance,” says Millar. “If the performance feels like Robbie and the ape looks like Robbie, then, when you put those two things together, you’ll see Robbie. The first motion test we did was a piece Robbie did to his iPhone explaining why he’s an ape in the movie but rendered as an ape. That was the moment we realised it was going to work.”

 

Clothes horse

 

On set, Williams was played “90%” of the time by actor Jonno Davies, who wore a full performance-capture suit with 53 markers on the body and 101 on his face. Using Davies’ physical and facial performance as reference, Weta then created not just ape Robbie, but also his clothes.

 

“Robbie wears a different costume in every scene. It ended up being around 300 different costumes,” reveals Millar. “This is where we need to give props to the costume department, because even though Robbie was a digital character, they still made, sourced and hired every single costume you see.”

Weta employed a costume stand-in and scanned every outfit Williams wore in the film. “His name’s Adrian. We’d get him onto set to stand within the lighting, doing a similar movement to what was in the scene,” says Millar.

 

“Someone asked, ‘Why did we not just have a human being wearing clothes and replace the head?’ But there’s a lot of time you see Robbie with a shirt off. You see Robbie naked. The body is very ape-like and trying to replace that would end up looking weird if it was a human with an ape head glued on.”

 

Finally, there was ape Robbie’s hair and makeup. “The first time we did it, we took an ape skull and stuck a haircut on top of it, and it looked like an ape in a toupee,” laughs Millar.

 

“The struggle was trying to fit a human hairline onto an ape forehead, which is very sloped. The way we approached it was to imagine you’ve got a chimp, he’s grown all his hair out, and he goes into a barber shop and says, ‘Can you make me look like Robbie Williams?’ What would the barber do? He’d start to shave the forehead and trim it.”

 

https://www.screendaily.com/features/how-we...5200387.article

Edited December 31, 2024Dec 31 by Sydney11

this is a bit harsh, Kathryn. if anybody whose movie flopped would have lost his/her dignity than they have all if the old movie stars or even the gaga's of this time. I think it would have been an issue if the film would be a critics failure (no loss of dignity though). Until now I read 90 percent great reviews if not more. Robbie invested into the promotion more than in any album I can remember and those who saw the film are positive. I have personally been worried from the beginning if this movie will fly, but I am sure he did not lose his dignity and neither his reputation. Still it is very early to say what will happen in January. The figures seem not to be that bad for the UK and the USA? Well, he has not been on any prominent talk show yet. If it will not work then it will not work. He had fought some demons though and took the chance. This is what counts in my opinion.

 

You missed the joke. Rob’s on record saying he lost his dignity years ago and never missed it!

He even says it in the film.

 

He’s got nothing to lose.

 

But realistically he will be disappointed if the film is not considered a success.

The reviews are great. The box office is not looking amazing.

Maybe it’ll turn around - I’d love it if it did, but I do think some fans are a little unrealistic about what is considered successful in movie world.

 

 

 

 

https://filmdistributorsassociation.com/the...current-top-15/

 

 

The important figures I guess will be from the US/Canada releases on JAN 10th .

 

US/Canada have 29 % of the market share so I guess that is why they did a lot of promo in that neck of the woods

 

 

 

https://filmdistributorsassociation.com/the...10-territories/

Edited December 31, 2024Dec 31 by Sydney11

Time will tell.

 

My friend texted me today. She's not an RW fan but saw the movie and absolutely loved it.

 

That's the people the film needs to reach.

 

 

https://filmdistributorsassociation.com/the...current-top-15/

The important figures I guess will be from the US/Canada releases on JAN 10th .

 

US/Canada have 29 % of the market share so I guess that is why they did a lot of promo in that neck of the woods

 

https://filmdistributorsassociation.com/the...10-territories/

 

One million down, only another £109 million to go ;)

 

:lol:

 

:lol: :lol:

LOL above

 

---

 

Review

Better Man review – Robbie Williams monkeys around in a raw and emotional biopic

Replacing Williams with a CGI ape in an otherwise human cast pays off enormously in Michael Gracey’s warts-and-all tale of the pop phenomenon

 

It was a throwaway comment: Robbie Williams, Take That’s cheeky chappie-turned-tabloid fodder solo phenomenon, described himself as a performing monkey, prancing and preening in front of the cameras and seeking the approval of the audience (or at least a banana or two). But for director Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman), it was the key to unlocking Williams’s conflicted relationship with his celebrity and his compulsion to perform. In a creative gamble to rival Piece by Piece director Morgan Neville’s decision to tell the Pharell Williams story with Lego animation recently, Gracey replaces Williams in this warts-and-all biopic with a CGI chimpanzee in an otherwise human cast. It’s a gamble that not only pays off – it’s arguably the main reason the film works as well as it does.

 

Narrated by Williams (Jonno Davies delivers a motion-captured performance as Robbie the Monkey) in a tone that strikes a precarious balance between wry self-deprecation and maudlin self-pity, the story itself is pretty generic stuff: a by-the-numbers trawl through the early hardship of Williams’s working-class childhood in Stoke-on-Trent, father-son tensions and industrial-level substance-abuse issues. The film’s emotional beats – Williams’s doomed relationship with All Saints singer Nicole Appleton; the death of Robbie’s beloved nan – are hammered home with piledriver subtlety. But the capering ape device transforms what would otherwise be a rote addition to the rock biopic canon, infusing the story with humour, mischief and a sparky, unpredictable anarchy. Yes, Williams clearly takes himself pretty seriously and has a weakness for therapy-speak platitudes. But he also invites us to see him as a surly adolescent chimp in a shell suit. You have to love him for that.

 

Better Man is a notable step up for Gracey. The synthetic, rather soulless panache of The Greatest Showman demonstrated his skills as a slick visual stylist, but here he directs from the heart, tapping into the rawness and vulnerability beneath the CGI monkey suit.

 

4/5

 

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2024/dec/2...P=share_btn_url

 

Sure, It's Weird, But the CGI Monkey Is What Makes Robbie Williams' 'Better Man' Work

 

By

Joanna Orland

Published 5 hours ago

 

The musical biopic has not been the most inventive subgenre in recent years. Although the odd standout like Rocketman has taken a different approach, such movies tend to follow the same beats and end on the same note. So next to them, it's not surprising that the most talked-about aspect of the Robbie Williams biopic Better Man, is that Williams is played by a CGI monkey. On the surface, this sounds like a ludicrous concept. But, the use of a monkey as the star of the film actually works on many levels, as one of the most thoughtful and insightful biopic portrayals.

 

The initial inspiration for Williams to be represented by a monkey came from director Michael Gracey’s interviews with the singer. Gracey recorded his conversations with Williams over the course of eighteen months, and repeatedly, Williams referred to himself as a performing monkey. Gracey figured the best way to accurately portray the musician was to show him as he sees himself — different from everyone else, and unevolved. The monkey allows the audience to distance themselves from Williams’ well-known perceived persona and to see him more for his inner workings.

 

Better Man makes it easy for the audience to accept that Robbie Williams is being played by a CGI monkey. Of course, it’s a bit jarring at first to see this little monkey on screen when everyone else is human. It goes unmentioned, and everyone in his world just takes him as he is. Once the film settles in, the monkey is only as distracting as another actor would be in the role, inevitably having his likeness compared to that of Williams. Actor Jonno Davies wears a mo-cap suit to play the monkey Robbie Williams, and captures his character's essence just as well, if not better, than any typical actor would. And let’s face it, we’ve all seen enough standard musical biopics to last a lifetime, allowing this fresh take to be more than welcomed.

 

By using a monkey to represent Robbie Williams, Better Man allows for a greater insight into the singer’s mental state. The film seamlessly uses CGI imagery as a metaphorical representation of what’s going on inside his head. Because the fantastical element of the monkey is there from the start, these CGI dream-like sequences fit into the tone of the film without effort. Williams’ rage and self-doubt are emphasized by showing monkeys in various emotional states, as he internally falls to pieces. The many voices in Williams’ head and his anxiety, and his depression, are all brought to life and represented in a physical, animal form.

 

The monkey heightens Williams’ highs and lows, connecting to a more primal portrayal of the singer. He’s not just a performing monkey, but during his youth, he’s got about as much self-control as an animal. Every emotion feels more raw and angry, and it’s easier to sympathize with how he spirals during his lowest points. He almost feels like he’s in a feral state when he’s at his wildest and most unhinged. And during his high points, the monkey also emphasizes what made Williams a star in the first place — his playful cheekiness.

 

The most poignant aspect of having Robbie Williams portrayed by a monkey, is that in the finale, when you’d expect him to morph into a human, he doesn’t. The way the narrative develops and brings us to present-day Robbie gives off the feeling of a classic triumph over adversity story, with the “adversity” being the singer’s struggle with his mental health and addiction. Because of this structure, you would be forgiven for thinking that by the end of the film, CGI monkey Robbie Williams would transform into a human during his final performance. The fact that he remains as the monkey throughout the entire film is a meaningful commentary on his struggle.

 

By remaining a monkey, but a happy one by the end, Better Man makes the point that this darkness is always a part of us, but it doesn’t have to define us. Addiction and mental health struggles are not something one ever fully leaves behind. Williams has managed to live alongside his issues and flaws, with his dark thoughts and demons being a part of who he is. Robbie Williams may now be happier, humbler, and less wild, but he still sees himself as the attention-seeking performing monkey he’s always been.

 

A nice touch on top of the CGI monkey, is that high-res scans of Williams’ eyes were used as the monkey’s eyes throughout the film. “You could still see Rob in the monkey,” Michael Gracey says in an interview with Deadline. The monkey, in fact, lets us see Robbie Williams better than any other actor in the role could.

 

Better Man is now in theaters.

 

https://collider.com/better-man-cgi-monkey-weird/

 

'Better Man' Review: Robbie Williams' Musical Chimp Dazzles in Every Regard

 

By

Julian Roman

Published Dec 22, 2024

 

British pop superstar Robbie Williams gets a raw, dazzling, long but exceedingly clever musical biopic in Better Man, which sees him portrayed as a CGI, motion-captured chimpanzee from boyhood through tumultuous stardom. The reason why becomes obvious as the narrative progresses. Director/co-writer Michael Gracey infuses the film with a bold creative vision that adds a refreshing new take on a known commodity. Stories of rags-to-riches celebrities struggling with addiction and depression are standard Hollywood fodder. Better Man addresses those themes while Williams' narrates the painful truth behind glitz and glamour. Fame is a seductive narcotic that fuels our worst impulses. A dream come true can easily become a nightmare.

 

We're introduced to "Robert" (Carter J. Murphy) as a brash young chimp in the poverty-stricken town of Stoke-on-Trent. He's awful at school and sports but loves being the center of attention. He inherits the need for a spotlight from his wannabe performer father. Peter (Steve Pemberton) and Robert sing Frank Sinatra standards in front of their old TV with Mom (Kate Mulvany) and his grandmother, the beloved Nan (Alison Steadman), cheering them on. Robert relishes applause but hides a gnawing secret. He sucks, has no talent, and is a total fraud. That's what Robert really thinks of himself.

 

The happy days are unfortunately short-lived. 15-year-old Robert (Asmara Feik) wastes away at school until an open casting call for a boy band offers the chance of a lifetime. Band manager Nigel Martin-Smith (Damon Herriman) is holding auditions for his latest endeavor. Robert looks on as others sing, dance, and twirl their teenage hearts out. How can a complete hack and loser compete? By being the most brash and owning the room with a middle finger to everyone else. Nigel takes notice of the cocky young man, but "Robert" simply won't do.

 

Better Man will be slurped up like water in the desert by the legions of Take That fans who worshiped the '90s icons. Think a British version of NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys, for the boy band uninitiated. Gracey (The Greatest Showman) does a banner job of exploring the band's dynamics and how that reinforced Robbie's negative self-worth. Gary Barlow (Jake Simmance) was lauded as the group's leader and songwriter. Williams' bad boy image made teenage girls swoon, but he wasn't happy being relegated to basically a backup dancer and singing on harmonies. Scenes of Nigel putting Robbie in his place are soul-crushing.

 

Better Man's second act takes parallel paths to astonishing fame and its commensurate dark side. Robbie pulls no punches explaining to the audience his struggles with depression and suicidal thoughts. Drugs, booze, and anti-depressants became the salve to treat his mental wounds. Robbie also discusses how he was still broke and living with his mother despite playing to sold-out venues. Barlow and Martin-Smith made all the money. He was just a singing and dancing show chimp. The harsh realities of exploitation collide with cold financial truth. It's both shocking and hilarious to learn what Robbie was paid in the first 18 months of Take That's meteoric rise.

 

Jonno Davies portrays the adult Robbie for the majority of the film. He dances up a storm in incredibly choreographed set pieces, but he and the other actors who play Robbie won't get any recognition for their parts behind their primate artifice. Davies' rides the fame roller coaster with surprising nuance given the CGI nature of his role. Robbie's descent into a cocaine-fueled pill-popper is handled with unflinching honesty. There's nothing humorous about a chimp passing out in vomit. His destructive tendencies reach a point of no return that forces a dramatic change of circumstances.

 

Robbie's career as a chart-topping solo artist engrosses like a tawdry soap opera. Gracey pulls the curtains back to reveal all the salacious dirt between Robbie, his girlfriend Nicole Appleton (Raechelle Banno), a member of the girl group All Saints, and Oasis' lead singer, Liam Gallagher (Leo Harvey-Elledge). Get your popcorn ready folks. This is sensational stuff that quickly develops into frank and adult matters. Gracey is sublime at dealing with a highly personal decision that became an earthquake in the British tabloids at the time. There's no sugarcoating here and that's admirable. Robbie speaks his own truth with conviction.

 

Better Man will blow audiences out of their chairs with brilliant song and dance numbers. Choreographer Ashley Wallen, who previously worked with Gracey on The Greatest Showman, cinematographer Erik A. Wilson (of the Paddington franchise), and the visual effects team at Weta are the film's unsung heroes. Better Man gives Wicked a run for the money with applause-worthy showstoppers. A scene with Robbie and Nicole singing and dancing together on a yacht is absolutely mesmerizing. Raise your expectations. The musical aspects are stunning in every regard.

 

You don't have to be a Robbie Williams fan to appreciate the film's artistry, performances, and handling of difficult subjects. The 135-minute runtime is admittedly too long, but the decision not to have Williams appear as himself, or even as a human, was pure genius. The CGI chimp is riveting from the start. Williams' acknowledgment of how he's perceived makes the bonkers portrayal much more impactful. It's cheeky AF for sure, but an accurate reflection of his image.

 

Better Man is a production of Sina Studios, Facing East Entertainment, Rocket Science, and Lost Bandits et al. It will have a limited theatrical release on December 25th from Paramount Pictures, followed by national distribution on January 10th.

 

https://movieweb.com/better-man-movie-revie...rce=syndication

 

Better Man starring Steve Pemberton is getting rave reviews

 

4 hrs ago

By Sarah McGee

@Sarah_McGee123

 

A Robbie Williams film, starring an actor from Blackburn, has been receiving rave reviews from critics.

Better Man, released on December 26, explores the life and career of singer Robbie Williams.

 

Blackburn’s Steve Pemberton depicts Robbie’s dad, Peter Williams, in the film.

 

In an interview with an online magazine, Steve said: “What I admire about Robbie is how open he’s been [in the film].”

“Probably he was an a***hole to a lot of people, by his own admission. He talks so openly about all the different things in his life, whether it’s the relationship with his father, the drugs, the depression. It’s all there in the film.”

 

The film has captured the attention of audiences as Robbie is depicted as a CGI-animated chimpanzee, reflecting his feelings of being "less evolved than other people".

 

The film has received overwhelmingly positive reactions from reviewers.

It has received a 91 per cent rating on television and movie review site Rotten Tomatoes.

A review said: “Daring to substitute its marquee star with a VFX creation and somehow pulling it off, Better Man makes a monkey out of the traditional musical biopic to thrilling effect.”

 

Steve’s performance has also been praised in the film by casual viewers.

 

One person said: “Steve Pemberton is wonderful in Better Man. I think he’s our greatest character actor.”

“Steve Pemberton for best supporting actor for Better Man,” said another.

Another person said: “Please guys watch Better Man. And not only for Steve Pemberton who was excellent and has improved his vocal skills for sure. The best movie of this year.”

“Didn’t think I would rave about a Robbie Williams biopic,” said another.

“Better Man is really entertaining, hugely creative and surprisingly emotional. A wonderful performance from Steve Pemberton too.”

 

Last year Steve, best known for co-creating, co-writing and acting in the hugely popular The League of Gentlemen, received an honorary fellowship from the University of Central Lancashire.

 

The proud Lancastrian, who was raised in Chorley, also co-created and starred in dark comedies Inside No. 9 and Psychoville, both broadcast on the BBC.

 

Steve, who was recognised for his significant contribution to acting, writing and directing, took to the graduation stage on Friday, July 12.

 

The comedian, who gained laughs in his acceptance speech for delivering the line “the University of Central Lancashire is a local university for local people” in the character voice of Tubbs Tattsyrup, said: “For me to be here in Preston, coming to get honorary fellowship in my local university, makes me really proud.”

 

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/...eviews/?ref=rss