It was the Venice Film Festival when people said things along the lines of “holy [expletive] I cannot believe the Robbie Williams movie” and things like “I cannot believe Better Man did that” and no one knew what they were referring to as the poster didn’t drop, the trailer didn’t drop, just based on the information present the movie was about British pop star Robbie Williams. It leaked that the movie about Robbie Williams features Robbie Williams as a monkey. TIFF rolled around and this was confirmed, and my interest in seeing a biopic about someone I’ve never heard of and never really listened to certainly peaked my interest because of how absolutely bananas (no pun intended) this sounded. From director Michael Gracey (Greatest Showman) who also co-penned the script with Oliver Cole and Simon Gleeson (who this marks their first screenplay) deliver one of the most inexplainable movies of the year.
Better Man is a testament of madness and ingenuity can take a conversation about a subject people in North America appear aren’t really enticed by and ends up making a 134 minute movie that never lags, creates a wave of emotions and chaos and brings forth something truly unbelievable that one truly has to see to believe. The film focuses on the early days of Robbie’s life and the monkey persona played by Jonno Davies (and presumably the singing work is done by Robbie Williams himself) leading into the height of his fame and the fall from grace as he continuously was in the tabloids and limelight. For someone who knew *nothing* about Robbie Williams, Better Man certainly tells the story incredibly well and highlights and touches upon enough of his life and career to make it interesting and not just the early stages, supported by a plethora of characters such as Peter (Steve Pemberton), Betty (Alison Steadman), Janet (Kate Mulvany), Nate (Frazer Hadfield) and so forth, Better Man truly captures Robbie Williams life (or at least to my understanding) and changes the biopic standard on its head.
Looking at the career of Michael Gracey it is unfathomable to think that this is only his second film, behind Greatest Showman. Two movies which have absolutely shattered any and all expectations and expectation of what is expected to unfold on screen. Using a monkey to present and portray Robbie Williams not only makes things that unfold on screen and events in his life that much more tragic and eye opening – because his portrayal is a monkey – but brings new life to the much overdone and beaten to death musical biopic making Better Man stand out from the usual fare and create an ever lasting impression and two scenes in particular that will leave ever lasting impressions. Gracey’s next work, whatever it may be, is something that surely will be exciting and highly visual and enticing.
