Better Man

posted in: Action, Comedy, Crime, Drama, Musical, True story | 0

MOVIE TITLE:   Better Man

This creative biopic releases in theaters in the USA on January 17, 2025. Europe has already seen its debut.

RATING:    R

LENGTH:  2 hours 11 minutes

Movie Review Mom GRADE:   A-

SPONSOR of Today’s movie review:

 If you love this movie, you’re probably going to want to buy the Better Man soundtrack.  Here’s the link where you can find it on Amazon and get free shipping!   https://amzn.to/3ZSjLxz

IN A NUTSHELL:

The music-filled biopic is about British pop-star Robbie Williams, focusing on his childhood and struggles with fame and vice.  So, how is this biopic different from all of the others out there?  Replace the star with a monkey, of course.

The movie was directed by Michael Gracey, who also wrote the screenplay with Simon Gleeson and Oliver Cole.

Already, the movie has been nominated for 35 awards, including Outstanding Achievement for Character Animation, Best Original Song, and Best Motion Capture Performance.  Kudos to the team.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

  • This is not appropriate for kids
  • We see Robbie do drugs
  • Some violence
  • Profanity, crude language, and a million F-bombs, sometimes spoken by children
  • Bullying is portrayed
  • Some girls lift up their shirts to show their bare chests. Later, we see three naked women in bed with Robbie
  • We see the facial reaction and movements during an intimate moment

THEMES:

  • Music
  • Determination
  • Dreaming big
  • Negative self-talk
  • Confidence
  • The power of therapy
  • Mental health
  • Feeling like you’re never enough
  • Father/son relationships
  • Love and loss
  • Fickle fame
  • Forgiveness
  • Healing relationships

THINGS I LIKED:

  • I love the unique way this music biopic of Robbie Williams is presented!  It’s genius on several levels and was extremely risky. The use of a monkey is never outright explained in the movie, although the metaphor is very clear about how celebrities are often treated like performing monkeys.  That’s definitely how Robbie Williams felt. It also reveals that he felt he was never good enough or “evolved” as others. The honesty he reveals in the film is raw, vulnerable, and powerful. Very few celebrities would be willing to bare all like this in a movie about their life. Luckily, audiences are really relating to the metaphor.  Without the gimmick, this would have just been another basic biopic.
  • British singer Robbie Williams earned his initial fame as a member of the pop group “Take That”, and later launched his solo career, all the while, struggling with drugs and alcohol.  The majority of Robbie Williams’ voiceover in the movie is from recordings the director casually made in a studio before the movie was ever thought of. I’m American and had never really heard of Robbie Williams before.  He’s a huge hit in the UK, but a bit of an unknown in the USA.  I don’t know why he never had the crossover success that others have had, but Americans will definitely know all about him now because of this film!  When he spoke at a premiere in Amsterdam recently, he said, “I’m showing everything in this movie except my hemorrhoids.”
  • The visual effects are amazing, impressively detailed, and so creative. Jonno Davies does an excellent job providing the body-capture work as Robbie Williams.
  • The cast includes Steve Pemberton, Damon Herriman, Kate Mulvany, Frazer Hadfield, Alison Steadman, and Raechelle Banno.
  • The film illustrates points in very creative ways, such as the underwater scene. The scene transitions were really clever too.
  • We get to enjoy some good music and great dance scenes. The first one is at the 33-minute mark. There’s a fun dance scene that was filmed on Regent Street in London.  It took a year and a half to get permission since the British royal family owns it. Then, just two nights before they were going to finally film the scene, Queen Elizabeth II passed away, so the shooting was cancelled. Five months later, the producers raised more money and they were able to shoot the sequence.
  • The movie poster replaces the monkey’s image with the real Robbie Williams’ face that was used on his 1997 debut solo album “Life Thru A Lens.”
  • I loved the energy of the movie, especially because the film is over 2 hours long.
  • The movie will give you all the feels. The ending is very sweet and earned.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

  • It’s hard to feel too bad for people who earn fame and fortune and cause many of their own problems due to bad behavior and choices. Robbie Williams appears to be a classic narcissist in the film.
  • Some viewers are calling this movie just another marketing project, describing it as a mix between Planet of the Apes and Rocketman.
  • The length of the movie feels self-indulgent, yet I do appreciate how Robbie Williams wanted to share his story and personal growth as a cautionary tale.

FUNNY LINES:

  • “Fame is a powerful aphrodisiac. It means even ugly people can get laid.” – Robbie Williams
  • “You’re not as crap as I thought.” – Nigel  (Damon Herriman)

INTERESTING LINES:

  • “There’s no such thing as a nobody.” – Betty  (Alison Steadman)
  • “You make me feel so small.” – Nicole Appleton  (Raechelle Banno)
  • “You’ve always been there for Robbie Williams, Dad.  Why can’t you just be there for Robert?” – Robbie Williams  (self)
  • “Sometimes, it’s a curse to get everything we want.” – group therapy leader

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Author of 23 books, university professor, mom of 4 awesome sons, movie critic, ice cream lover. Check out her world travels and tips at www.EmptyNestTravelHacker.com

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