Better Man

Great! Should we listen to it or better do it after Edinburgh concert?) I'm afraid to spoil some secrets of the setlist, etc.

Have you already listened, Tess? :)

Another good response a great conclusion from this guy

Looks like a very new photo!

A new date just added today :) Kazakhstan, Almaty - 4th of September. So, many Russians will come there.

Yes, the song gets a good response :)

25h May 2025 01 123 Little Mix 02 95 Robbie Williams and Take That 03 87 Lady Gaga 04 40 Spice Girls 05 32 Kylie and Dannii Minogue Bravo! 👏

I Watched Better Man Knowing Little About Robbie Williams. Why I Think The Chimp Decision Was A Great Idea By Mick Joest published March 24, 2025 It might seem weird, but hear me out. It's no secret that while pop star Robbie Williams is well-known in many parts of the world, he's pretty obscure as far as celebrities go in the United States. As a result, a decision was made to portray him as an anthropomorphic chimpanzee in his biopic Better Man, and while that sounds like a goofy gimmick, I'll defend it as a great idea for a fantastic movie. After watching Better Man with my Paramount+ subscription, I'm on board with our review skewing positively on Robbie Williams' story and his journey to stardom. While it's easy to write off this movie as someone who heard the monkey stunt and didn't know anything about Williams, I'm here to say anyone who overlooks it is missing out on a great movie that is one of the more exciting biopics I've seen. Better Man's Use Of A Chimp Helps Soften Some Of The Horrifically Sad Moments Of The FilmRobbie Williams is a tongue-in-cheek performer, with much of his music hitting on some of the struggles highlighted in more depth in Better Man. I think a difference would be that while singing about cocaine addiction in a song can be sad, the feeling is fleeting because of its length. When faced with it in a biopic, chimp or not, there are some dark moments highlighted at length with some brutal honesty that is hard to watch. Even before Better Man gets into the throws of drug addiction or the very uncomfortable chimp orgasm scene, we see the heartbreaking origin of where Robbie Williams' quest for superstardom begins. At the heart of the story is a child ultimately seeking his father's approval and only getting it when he reaches the highest peaks of his success. To be quite blunt, it's a brutally honest and horrifically sad movie that I would say is a little too dark for Robbie Williams' brand. Making the leading character a CGI chimp helps soften the blow of some of the terribly sad moments, and I'll be honest, there are times when it's needed. I think it's worthy of inclusion on our best biopics list, mainly because it does little to defend its subject in some of his worst moments. I think that with a regular actor in the role, some may feel the movie is too dark for Williams in a way that his performances aren't, and having a chimp certainly helps. The Story Gets So Good You'll Stop Caring He's A MonkeyThe unflinching picture of Robbie Williams in Better Man is not pleasant. As an outsider looking in and largely unaware of the real-life events being portrayed, I was shocked that the film doesn't shy away from portraying him as the villain or problem in some of its bigger events. At the same time, we get Williams' perspective on the matter, and we know why he makes the decisions that he does based on his upbringing and the mantra of becoming famous that he carried on throughout his life. It's nuanced, it's traumatic, and it's so good you honestly begin to stop caring that Williams is being portrayed by a CGI chimp throughout the movie. That's not to say you'll ever forget it, especially when he switches to having bleach blonde hair, but there gets to a point very early in the movie where it just stops being something to get hung up on. I'll be so bold to say that if you get fifteen minutes into this movie and you're still bugged by the fact he's a monkey, you're not paying enough attention. I think it's because I stopped caring that Robbie Williams was portrayed as a monkey that I began to appreciate Better Man even more. To take such bold subject matter ranging from Boyband exploitation (which is also highlighted in the docuseries Boybands Forever) to drug abuse and have the stone even to consider not playing it straight down the line and potentially win an Oscar for it. That's the kind of move that I've realized only someone like Williams would make. Better Man Might've Flopped In Theaters, But The Ape Gimmick Was Enough For Me To Check It Out On StreamingBetter Man was a box office flop, but let's get one thing straight: financial success is not always indicative of quality. Plenty of movies with atrociously low scores on Rotten Tomatoes have topped box office charts this year, so don't always follow the money when it comes to movie recommendations. I think Robbie Williams' biopic has the potential to be one of those movies that gets a lot more buzz now that it's on streaming, or at least that's my hope now that anyone who has Paramount+ has the ability to check it out. After watching, the best compliment I can give is that upcoming biopics have a lot to live up to and will be much harder to tune into without this kind of unflinching honesty front and center of the narrative. All this to say, maybe you think it's stupid that Better Man decided to portray Robbie Williams as an ape. That's an opinion I would reckon is held by many people who have no interest in watching and won't be checking it out. I assure you, it's the biggest hurdle to overcome in checking out this movie, but once you get over it, you're going to realize like it did that it's not a big deal in the slightest. Truth be told, I watched it thinking of an angle in mind of whether the chimp decision ended up hurting a movie that would've been solid otherwise. As I've shown extensively through many points above, I don't think this movie is great unless it was done exactly the way it was made. Everyone involved in this movie has something to be proud of with what they accomplished, and I daresay this movie has inspired me to learn a little bit more about Robbie Williams and check out some more of his music. Can't say I felt the same way after watching many other biopics! Better Man is available to stream on Paramount+. Check it out along with all the other quality movies on the platform, especially if you bundle the streamer with Showtime.

Yes, maybe! -- Another positive reaction on the song

As somebody suggested maybe it's a new generation of Hello Sir for BRITPOP album's end? 😇

Agree and they are good lads indeed. Btw, they (Soft Play) were at Glasto set last year so I suppose no chances for being together this time but maybe during the RW tour... Some articles mention this Ivor Award as Robbie's 5th one. But actually, combining to Take That's one in 2012 it's even his 6th one. https://robbiewilliams.com/blogs/news/take-that-win-at-the-ivor-novello-awards?srsltid=AfmBOopDe1GXkvgx8HJHuW92ErjHrb7NDlxJyFzyh1Fhp06hW2Ryzf8U Here is the full list of winners at the Ivor Novello Awards 2025: Songwriter of the year: Charli XCX Academy Fellowship: U2 Music icon award: Robbie Williams Best album: Berwyn - Who Am I Best contemporary song: Sans Soucis - Circumnavigating Georgia Best song musically and lyrically: Orla Gartland - Mine Most performed work: Myles Smith - Stargazing Rising star: Lola Young Best original film score: The Substance - Raffertie Best original video game score: Farewell North - John Konsolakis Best television soundtrack: True Detective: Night Country - Vince Pope Outstanding song collection: Bloc Party Special international: Brandon Flowers Visionary award: Self Esteem

The 19 best movies on Paramount+From classic comedies to recent blockbusters, these films are sure to please. By Kevin Jacobsen and Declan Gallagher Updated on May 5, 2025 11:11AM EDT Originally launched (to some skepticism) as CBS All Access in 2014, it's safe to say that Paramount+ was ahead of its time. It was, in fact, the first over-the-top service from an American broadcaster. In 2021, during the pandemic theatrical shakeup, Paramount+ rebranded and made a name for itself with an admirable library of films on top of its television offerings. Picking only 19 of the best movies on Paramount+ was no easy task, but we at EW tried our best. Join us as we run through the list. 03 of 19 Better Man (2024) Sometimes, a filmmaker takes a big swing and it just doesn't connect. Better Man is one of those rare cases where its gimmick is part of its unique charm, telling the story of British pop star Robbie Williams, who is portrayed in the film as an anthropomorphic chimpanzee. While the beats of Williams' story will be familiar to anyone who's seen other music biopics, director Michael Gracey brings impressive visual flair and stages his musical sequences with precision ("Rock DJ" being his magnum opus). Williams, who narrates the film, also allows himself to be portrayed in a sometimes unflattering light. As such, EW's critic praises Better Man as "refreshingly honest for a musical biopic that has the involvement of its subject." —K.J. Where to watch Better Man: Paramount+ EW grade: B (read the review) Director: Michael Gracey Cast: Robbie Williams, Jonno Davies, Steve Pemberton, Alison Steadman https://ew.com/best-movies-on-paramount-plus-8424386

Really like this photo but their colloboration even more. Interesting that there is almost no reference of Glenn Hughes from Deep Purple as a backing singer in media. Maybe they are keeping it for next weeks of promotion.

And one more :)

Already first reaction on Rocket on Youtube :) I really feel the Better Man effect!

Same but in better quality

Good and relaxing interview! Enjoying Rob is always pleasure to see! Maybe Glasto duet - yes, please do it, lads!!!

Be be be rocket!! What a banger from Rob and rock legends!! I like these credits: Director: Charlie Lightening Producer: Emma Jane Thompson DOP: Dan Lightening Editor: Charlie France Production Designer: Russell De Rozario Choreographer: Ashley Wallen Production Company: Lightening Films Creative Director: Kim Gavin

Good speech

Congratulations to Rob!

The premiere of the sing has been not only in UK but also in France. Here is some reaction of French djs: https://x.com/RTLFrance/status/1925444744265560147/mediaViewer?currentTweet=1925444744265560147&currentTweetUser=RTLFrance Also I heard Rocket on Russian radio.

Some bits around Kids time frame