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Better Man • Robbie Williams Biopic (2024)

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in Robbie Williams and Take That

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    Btw, just wanted to say thanks to Joseph & Philip for unlimited by pages threads nowadays. So I suppose you have already noted now the Better Man thread is combined and not divided anymore :)

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    Better Man review by Bobby Blakey Throughout the years there have been a ton of biographical films focusing on the careers of musicians and bands. Within them there are a select few that took a more

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That’s the Mashable review by Kristy Puchko - very positive, but very very spoilery.

 

 

So looking forward to seeing this movie ...

BETTER MAN 2.5/5

 

USA | 2024 | 131m | English

 

Cast: Kate Mulvany, Damon Herriman, Alison Steadman

 

Director(s): Michael Gracey

 

Better Man begins with young Williams watching his father’s dreams of music stardom swirl around like dust in their cramped sitting room. He absorbs his father’s ambitions — and his crippling self-doubt — but the boy has talent.

 

 

Before long he has joined teen idols Take That and they stomp up the charts in a series of showstopping musical numbers. But money and fame bring more doubt, and Williams — played as an adult by actor Jonno Davies — learns the corrosive art of self-sabotage.

 

Better Man may feature some truly spectacular musical numbers executed with an exceptional flair by director Michael Gracey to give Robbie Williams’ songs the big screen treatment they deserve, but a CGI monkey derails any emotional connection to Robbie Williams’ life story and makes what could have been a fun gimmick an emotional barrier to the entire film.

 

With countless music biopics being made today, new films being made in the genre are being challenged to bring something new to the table rather than the standard structure that, while tried and proven, is overused. Some films in the genre have succeeded in reinventing the genre, such as Dexter Fletcher’s Rocketman which blended a fantastical musical element with the life story of Elton John, and Michael Gracey tries to reinvent the genre once again while tackling the life story of Robbie Williams. To do so, instead of having a live action portrayal of Robbie Williams, Williams becomes a CGI monkey in this live action musical that he himself voices, which is certain to be a talking point for viewers. What ensues, while expertly directed by Gracey and delivering some outstanding musical numbers, is a baffling musical biopic that hampers any emotional connection due to a monkey that makes this feel like a Planet of the Apes musical.

 

Gracey has directed many music videos and the fan favourite film The Greatest Showman, making him well versed in the world of music and the perfect choice for a musical biopic, and his background in visual effects makes him the right director to juggle a CGI monkey being thrown into the mix. Because of this, it comes as no surprise that the film got massive rounds of applause mid movie during its international premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival this week, as the majority of the musical numbers are outstanding. Bursting with an uncontrollable energy, the musical numbers feature impressive choreography from Ashley Wallen (who also collaborated with Gracey on The Greatest Showman), hundreds of extras dancing in unison, and impressive camera work and lighting to place the audience in the middle of the moment; with songs like “Rock DJ”, “She’s the One” and “Angels” become showstopping musical numbers that are every musical lover’s dream.

 

With Williams being a monkey in the film, visual effects play a vital part in the film’s success, and the final product looks great. With the team at WETA in charge of animating the monkey through motion capture, there is a lifelike element to the monkey akin to the recent Planet of the Apes films. Jonno Davies, who performs the motion capture for the film, does an incredible job in the role both emoting to capture Williams’ emotional journey over the course of the film as well as executing the dance choreography with a precision that makes the audience believe that a monkey can really dance like a human.

 

But, as impressive as the monkey looks, it is also the film’s biggest problem. In a world full of human characters, the monkey sticks out like a sore thumb and causes the film to miss the typical performance of the music biopic where an actor gets lost in the role and transforms into the artist who is the subject of the film, which is always the highlight of these films. We’ve seen it time and time again with memorable performances from Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury, Taron Egerton as Elton John, Rene Zellweger as Judy Garland and Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny Cash, and monkey Robbie Williams just doesn’t have the same effect on the audience. The story itself feels too similar to the majority of the vast majority of music biopics, and the screenplay fails to present it in a manner that isn’t a paint by number biopic blueprint. It’s not dig at Williams’ life story, which is one of struggle and perseverance, but with a monkey in place of him, it becomes hard for the audience to emotionally connect to his story as it doesn’t feel real. Even with the film ending with a beautiful performance by Williams of the classic tune “My Way” in what should have been an incredibly emotional moment, it fell completely flat. Furthermore, with Williams voicing the monkey and being heavily involved in the film’s development, it feels too controlled, self-indulgent and designed to give the audience a very specific view on him and not a more honest view that could have been present if the film’s subject was not as involved in every aspect of the film.

 

It’s rare for this reviewer not to love a musical, and not even the talented Michael Gracey at the helm of the film can salvage it, causing Better Man to fail to excel as a musical biopic. Despite some truly outstanding musical numbers that bring all the excitement and energy fans could ever want from the genre thanks to outstanding direction from Michael Gracey and choreography featuring hundreds of background dancers, notably with the divine “Rock DJ” sequence, Better Man is full of monkey business due to Robbie Williams being portrayed as a monkey which distracts from the emotional story that could have otherwise soared.

 

https://www.moviescenecanada.com/tiff24/better-man

Edited by Sydney11

Well, TIFF is now over and Better Man is not scheduled at London Film Festival

(Unless it is the surprise film), so I guess all the reviews we are going to get until December are in.

 

Currently standing at 3.4 On Letterboxd, 8.3 on IMDB, and 85% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.

 

Given than the film is divisive and some people really don’t get on with it,I don’t think it is going to get much higher than that.

It is possible it will drop with wider reviews but there seems to be enough enthusiasm that I think it will be ok.

 

 

 

 

 

Well, TIFF is now over and Better Man is not scheduled at London Film Festival

(Unless it is the surprise film), so I guess all the reviews we are going to get until December are in.

 

Currently standing at 3.4 On Letterboxd, 8.3 on IMDB, and 85% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.

 

Given than the film is divisive and some people really don’t get on with it,I don’t think it is going to get much higher than that.

It is possible it will drop with wider reviews but there seems to be enough enthusiasm that I think it will be ok.

 

So are those stats good Kathryn or middling?

They don't mean anything to me. :wacko:

Well, TIFF is now over and Better Man is not scheduled at London Film Festival

(Unless it is the surprise film), so I guess all the reviews we are going to get until December are in.

 

Currently standing at 3.4 On Letterboxd, 8.3 on IMDB, and 85% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.

 

Given than the film is divisive and some people really don’t get on with it,I don’t think it is going to get much higher than that.

It is possible it will drop with wider reviews but there seems to be enough enthusiasm that I think it will be ok.

 

So are those stats good Kathryn or middling?

They don't mean anything to me. :wacko:

Well, if you saw a film had gotten an average review score of 3.4 out of5/8.3 out 10/85% critics saying it was good, would you think it worth a watch?

 

It’s always hard with aggregation because films that some people love and others hate tend to end up with an average score in the middle, which does not really reflect what people thought of it.

 

I would say that these average scores would certainly not put off anyone already interested or intrigued by the premise, though.

Probably not high enough to tempt someone who isn’t already curious, though.

 

There’s quite a lot of ‘that sounds wild, I have to see that’ reaction out there. I think it’ll get people in to cinemas

Where Rob is already famous. Not so sure about the US.

 

Better Man; In typical Robbie Williams fashion, his biopic is an exercise in audacity: TIFF 2024 Review

 

Whether you loved him or hated him as part of Take That or on his own accord as a brash soloist, Robbie Williams, particularly in the 1990s, was a figure you couldn’t escape. Similar to the cultural impact of Geri Halliwell exiting the Spice Girls or Zayn Malik bidding adieu to One Direction, Williams’ exit out of Take That was monumental and, much like those aforementioned performers, the pressure on his career to succeed as his own persona was equally as mighty.

 

Navigating the charts and the publicity scene with a cheek that probably would’ve gotten him cancelled nowadays, Williams’ personality was as polarising as his music, but within the realms of Michael Gracey‘s ambitious biopic Better Man, his greatest hits have been tailored so that even the most unfamiliar listener will enjoy the charged pop sound that drive Gracey’s script forward; the story written in collaboration with Oliver Cole and Simon Gleeson.

 

Narrated by Williams, Better Man is a lively on-screen explosion that covers his youth, his troubling days as a glorified back-up performer in Take That, and his rise and fall as a soloist, all the while his struggles with addiction cripple any good faith he manages to earn. Gracey, who directed The Greatest Showman, brings a similar level of excitement and romanticism to Williams’ life and talent, with the majority of the musical numbers proving dazzling productions in their own right that often dwarf the dramatic narrative; you may be hard pressed to find a sequence more rousing than the rendition of “Rock DJ” here.

 

Whilst it’s not a surprise that Williams’ life would be told in such a theatrical, entertaining manner, it’s the big swing of how Gracey and Williams choose to depict this life that stands as Better Man‘s most divisive, yet admittedly exciting aspect. Williams himself has stated that he views this entertainer lifestyle as akin to a performing monkey, so, in a simian form that comes courtesy of the magic folks at the WETA Workshop, the singer is depicted as just that.

 

With Williams’ singing vocals – he even re-recorded many of his older hits, such as the aforementioned “Rock DJ” and “She’s the One” – and motion capture from British actor Jonno Davies, the unconventionality of telling his story through this aspect is the kind of swing that audiences will either embrace or reject. And with the movie hedging its bet on such, such an audacity, admirable as it is, will hopefully pay off with those that appreciate his music and humour enough to come along for the ride.

 

Despite this narrative choice, Davies gives his all to the performance, with every hint of emotion shining through the ape visuals, and Williams has similarly laid himself bare as a subject, with his many infidelities, the heft of his addiction and his ultimate self-loathing being featured across the film’s 134 minutes; performing monkey he may be, but he’s also refreshingly honest in letting such a tale be unafraid to show him at his ugliest.

 

In typical Robbie Williams fashion though, as much as he says and does things we don’t agree with, his undeniable charm continually wins over – even when he’s up there on screen as a literal singing monkey in a suit. Gracey has honed a true energy to proceedings here, which proves enough for Better Man‘s wild storytelling choice to be enfolded by audiences willing to surrender to such chutzpa, which, really, we shouldn’t be surprised at, given Williams’ whole career has been built off his glamour and gall.

 

 

 

THREE AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)

 

Better Man screened as part of this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, which ran between September 5th and 15th, 2024. For more information about the festival, head to the official site here.

 

Better Man is screening in Australian theatres from Boxing Day, December 26th, 2024.

 

https://www.theaureview.com/watch/better-ma...ff-2024-review/

Edited by Sydney11

I never get any sense in the marketing of what Robbie does since years.

This is a big budget film, which I think they are not showing on festivals in Europe yet as this may take the tension away. Plus, if the press will be not comfortable with it the movie can bomb like Rudebox not because it is bad but because of the critics.

I am not a fan of a monkey in movies. This might be great art, but only the thought about it would stop me to be not biased in the first place. As the Guardian gave it a good review i assume it will not be a fan favorite. People like less dark movies these days as life is often dark and Robbie was and has the hugest success as people pleaser. Honest to say, I can see it being more successful in the US as with his usual fans.

I read something interesting about his cruise ship ambassador ship which fits to this (And I personally dislike a cruise ship partnership a lot especially seeing Robbie performing there which he will sure will do. The swimming Las Vegas) The had made questionnaire about the stars people want to see and while there where the home grown stars the most mentioned international star was Robbie.

Who are the clients of these type of expensive cruise ship, or more expensive to correct me: 40 -70 year old well situated average thinking people with quite a superficial level of seeing things. This sounds harsh but it is not my statistic. These people will not watch a complicated Robbie movie like Better Man seems to be.

 

Well, this 40 year old who enjoyed her last cruise will definitely go and see the film.

 

Quite a stereotypical view of middle-age there. Don’t forget, Robbie fits into that age bracket himself!

Edited by Kathryn24601

Well, if you saw a film had gotten an average review score of 3.4 out of5/8.3 out 10/85% critics saying it was good, would you think it worth a watch?

 

It’s always hard with aggregation because films that some people love and others hate tend to end up with an average score in the middle, which does not really reflect what people thought of it.

 

I would say that these average scores would certainly not put off anyone already interested or intrigued by the premise, though.

Probably not high enough to tempt someone who isn’t already curious, though.

 

There’s quite a lot of ‘that sounds wild, I have to see that’ reaction out there. I think it’ll get people in to cinemas

Where Rob is already famous. Not so sure about the US.

To me 3.4 out of 5 wouldn't sway me to see it but 8.3 out of ten sounds infinitely better.

I'm just grateful Michael Gracey has done something different as biopics have become ten a penny recently.

Better to have a divisive, honest film then a fawning, beige one. :)

and as the reviewer says -there is no one more divisive than RW so it's fitting that the film be so too.

If the reviews so far are anything to go by I think it will do pretty well & I hope it has some impact in the US in it's own right as a really good movie with a good storyline & not just because it's Robbie . If you look back over his career his story is quite remarkable & deserves to be told. The cruise ship thing is not for me . A stint at the Sphere in Vegas would definitely appeal to me though :)

 

 

No offense in my post against anybody, Katheryn. It is statistics which proof stereotypes right and obviously there is nothing wrong with it and there are exceptions.

As for Better Man I so wish for Rob that this movie is successful with critics (which I can assume) as well as with the public. I think that the movie successful in cinemas these days need to make a huge diverse majority of people feel comfortable. What I read until now I believe it is too controversial for that. I hope that I am entirely wrong.

Also I think it's important that Rob himself loves the film -it's his story and it's important he's on board with it.

 

He has to believe in the product to market it and I believe his reactions to be true.

 

We can all make our own minds up come Christmas.. ^_^

I like these interviews :)

 

 

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