BETTER MAN – A Review by Cynthia Flores
At first, I wasn’t sure that using a computer-animated anthropomorphic chimpanzee for the lead in the Robbie Robinson biopic would work. It’s voiced by both Robbie Williams and Jonno Davies. Everyone else in the film looks human. This really should have come across as a cheap gimmick. Still, surprisingly, it actually works, and now I’m hard-pressed to imagine the movie any other way.
Better Man is amazingly inventive, and beautifully shot by the team of Matt Toll, Erik Wilson, and Ashley Wallen who did double duty as the choreographer of the film. With a team like that it’s no wonder the film looks and sounds fantastic. All this was brought together with some magical storytelling from Director and co-writer Michael Gracey. Michael started his career working and winning every award for his innovative style in music videos and viral commercials. In 2017, he debuted as a feature film director with the blockbuster musical The Greatest Showman. Better Man is his sophomore feature film and lets the world know that the success of his debut film was not a fluke. With this film, Micheal Gracey has cemented what should be a long career making movie magic for us to enjoy.
Better Man tells the story of British pop star Robbie Robinson. We see him as a child who got his love of singing and performing from his dad (Steve Pemberton). Robbie’s friendship with his grandmother Betty (Alison Steadman) and his loving relationship with his long-suffering Mum (Kate Mulvany) is sweet and tender. They tried to teach him to love himself, but he struggled with crippling self-doubt and was on a self-destructive path. He was shot to mega fame at the tender age of fifteen when he was picked to be part of a boy band called Take That from 1990 to 1995. After much fame and debauchery, Robbie was forced to pursue a solo career in 1996. And as they say, the rest is pop history.
This film mixes Robbie’s iconic hit classics with new music destined to be on the radio constantly this year, songs such as Forbidden Road. Weaving song and dance scenes that seem natural and not forced into the storyline, allows this film to take the audience behind the shiny curtain of fame. It exposes the pain that Robbie Williams worked through to become the genius songwriter and musician he is today.
At the beginning of the film, we see a young Robbie as a kid singing joyfully along with his father as Frank Sinatra performs on television. That’s when his dad tells his son you either have “It” or you don’t, and you’re a nobody. After seeing this film, I can honestly say this stunning biopic about the very talented Robbie Williams has “it” in spades. Better Man will thrill both fans of his music and those introduced to him through this film.
I give Better Man 5-stars. It’s definitely worth seeing on the big screen in a theater. Don’t be surprised if the audience applauds at the movie’s end.
Directed by: Michael Gracey
Written by: Simon Gleeson, Oliver Cole, Michael Gracey
Rated: R
Running Time: 2 hrs 14 min
Biography / Musical/ Fantasy
Release: In theaters only on January 10th.
Starring: Robbie Williams, Jonno Davies, Raechelle Banno, Steve Pemberton, Kate Mulvany, Alison Steadman, Damon Herriman
The Selig Rating Scale:
5 Stars – Excellent movie, well worth the price.
4 Stars – Good movie
3 Stars – OK movie
2 Stars – No need to rush. Save it for a rainy day.
1 Star – Good that I saw it on the big screen but wish I hadn’t paid for it.
