Review by Michael McLarty
Director: Michael Gracey
Starring: Robbie Williams, Jonno Davies, Steve Pemberton, Damon Herriman, Raechelle Banno, Alison Steadman, and Kate Mulvany
Movie Length: 2 hours 15 minutes
If you’ve elected to read this review, you are likely one of the elite. A relatively small percentage of music lovers in North America familiar with the Ego himself, Mr. Robbie Williams. An international superstar since the age of fifteen when he captured a spot in the UK boy band Take That, his career blossomed to the point where he headlined the famous Knebworth Festival in front of over 100,000 fans. Up until that performance, playing Knebworth had been his driving goal. The new biopic Better Man details the journey of Robbie Williams, sharing the dark side of massive success and the toll it takes on not only the performer but those who love him.
While the tale of falling victim to drug and alcohol abuse is well tread territory, Better Man navigates the tropes in two ways. First and foremost is the portrayal of Williams as a CG monkey. At one point in the film, Williams remarks that he felt “unevolved.” One can’t wonder if this was a nod to the decision making that resulted in the unorthodox decision to present us with a primate. While admittedly jarring for the first portion of the film, the humanity injected into the CG facial expressions and body language eventually become normalized.
The second storytelling decision that separates Better Man from similar subject matter is by addressing the driving force behind Williams’ self-destructive nature; depression. The film is explicit in its references to his mental illness, making our lead character more sympathetic and relatable. While few will ever experience the unique trappings of amazing success in the entertainment industry, depression and insecurity are more common territory.
Director Michael Gracey is no stranger to delivering quality music-centric films, perhaps best known for The Greatest Showman. Better Man features several musical showcases, including a truly amazing display of choreography that takes place on a street, featuring at least one hundred individuals. In contrast, a much less bombastic and quite intimately choreographed scene between the Williams character (played by Jonno Davies) and his future beau is equally fantastic.
Williams provides voice over, adding authoritative context to the film. Perhaps most glorious of all is of course the inclusion of songs from Williams’ extensive catalog, reconstructed to better fit the overall musical nature of the scenes where featured.
Both charming and heartbreaking, Better Man seems to capture the essence of the dichotomy that was a younger Robbie Williams. I applaud Williams for allowing such an intimate look at the darkness that’s plagued him in the form of his depression. The Williams character is seen participating in a 12-step group where he laments that the achievement of success doesn’t guarantee happiness.
I congratulate distributors Roadshow Films, Paramount Pictures, and Entertainment Film Distributors for granting Better Man an international release. As stated earlier, Williams is anything but a household name in North America so a biopic in this territory is a risk. Add to that the lead roll portrayed as a monkey and you would seem to face an uphill battle. Having said that, the movie is a delight and I’m hopeful that the exposure that comes with film will introduce us to one of the greatest entertainers of his generation.
Better Man earns a position as one of the best biopics delivered to the big screen. I urge fans of great music and the gift of curiosity to check this out at a theater near you.
Michael’s score: 9 out of 10
Better Man is now in theaters
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