Better Man (2024) Paramount/Drama-Musical RT: 134 minutes Rated R (drug use, pervasive language, sexual content, nudity, some violent content) Director: Michael Gracey Screenplay: Simon Gleeson, Oliver Cole and Michael Gracey Music: Batu Sener Cinematography: Erik A. Wilson Release date: January 10, 2025 (US) Cast: Robbie Williams, Steve Pemberton, Kate Mulvany, Alison Steadman, Damon Herriman, Raechelle Banno, Jake Simmnace, Liam Head, Jesse Hyde, Chase Vollenweider, Tom Budge, Leo Harvey-Elledge, Chris Gun, Frazer Hadfield.
Rating: ****
The number one question on people’s minds about the Robbie Williams biopic Better Man is WTH? What’s up with him being depicted as a chimpanzee? Well, here’s the answer. It’s a reflection of how he perceives himself as “less evolved than other people”. It could have come off as pretentious and self-gratifying (or as I like to call it “artistic masturbation”), but it’s actually quite brilliant. It makes for a unique viewing experience and the most original film I’ve seen all year.
I was the only one in attendance at today’s 4pm showing of Better Man. I’m not surprised. It’s not the kind of movie that plays to mass audiences. Also, not a lot of Americans know who Robbie Williams is. He’s more famous in the UK than he is here. For the record, he’s a pop singer who started out as a member of the 90s boy band Take That before embarking on a successful solo career. His battles with alcoholism, drug addiction and mental illness are well publicized. Like all artists, he’s a flawed figure uncomfortable in own skin hence the motion-capture chimp.
Directed by Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman), Better Man introduces us to Williams when he’s a wee lad of eight in 1982. He lives in Stroke-on-Trent with his family. It follows him through his father (Pemberton, The League of Gentleman) leaving the family to seek fame to Robbie finding it after becoming the youngest member of Take That. The film then takes us through all his professional and personal ups and downs including his relationship with All Saints singer Nicole Appleton (Banno, Home and Away) and his eventual ejection from the group due to his erratic behavior. We also watch as he descends into addiction and madness, ruining relationships and nearly destroying himself.
Gracey also examines his complicated relationship with his dad whose desire to mend fences coincides with Robbie’s success as a singer. A fervent admirer of Frank Sinatra, he always saw himself as a crooner, but success always eluded him. Robbie’s greatest supporter is his grandmother (Steadman, Life Is Sweet) who always tries to convince him that he’s enough even if others don’t think so.
A lot of biopics of musicians claim to be musicals, but they’re really not, not in the traditional sense. Better Man, on the other hand, can rightfully be called a musical. It has musical numbers with actual singing and dancing. The show-stopper is easily “Rock DJ”. In it, Robbie and his fellow Take That bandmates sing and dance their way around Regent Street accompanied by hundreds of back-up dancers. It’s a depiction of their meteoric rise to fame. It’s an energetic piece with several costume changes. It’s an impressive piece of choreography. I was also impressed by “Love, Death & Robots”, the song Robbie sings at his Knebworth concert. He hallucinates fighting his personal demons depicted as incarnations of Williams from different periods in his life. It’s a battle royale of the apes.
The acting in Better Man is superb. While Williams provides his own voice, it’s Jonno Davies (Hunters) who does all the mo-cap stuff. Combined, they do Oscar-level work. Pemberton does great work as the dad while Steadman brings heart as the loving, supporting grandmother. Banno has some powerful moments as Nicole, the girlfriend whose patience with Robbie’s behavior extends only so far. Leo Harvey-Elledge provides comic relief as Oasis bad boy lead singer Liam Gallagher. I never knew he was such a dick.
I can’t think of a single negative thing to say about Better Man. Everything about it is perfect or close to it. The special effects are well-rendered. The music, none of which I’m familiar with, is very good. The numbers blend seamlessly with the rest of the action. Plus, the movie has heart. It’s a surprisingly moving film, especially at the end. What’s better, all of the emotion is real and earned. It never feels false, forced or insincere. It really is one of the best films of 2024. Let’s hope audiences discover it before it’s too late.
