Better Man

Much like we learn about his career itself, against all the odds Robbie Williams’ story Better Man joins the top table of music biopics.

Unremittingly bleak, defiantly anti-crowd pleasing at points and, most brazenly, cast as a CGI monkey, Better Man perfectly picks the parts of biopic convention to honour and those to upend as it smashes all before it.

It’s hard to overstate the sheer bravery of the thing. For the Director of The Greatest Showman and a huge pop artist ostensibly capable of drawing in a ‘family crowd’ (and trying to bridge the gap to the States where Williams is less known) to produce this film is frankly a miracle.

To make abundantly clear, the decision to go with the CG chimp as Robbie absolutely makes the film.

The ensuing debauchery, assholery and tomfoolery simply wouldn’t work with any actor in that position and the animation and performance by Jonno Davies (with Robbie himself on singing duty and occasional voiceover) is perfect.

We’re not given any sort of ‘explanation’ it just is and, despite events, we end up with one of the most likable characters in biopic history because of it.

Your eyes are glued to Robbie in every scene, which is clearly a deliberate move, but the supporting cast are all winning and act effortlessly alongside the CGI with pitch perfect portrayals of the key players in the story.

The music is also used perfectly. Going down the musical route with elaborate sequences and recontextualizing Williams’ songs to match the context of the scenes in which they’re used.

Each musical set piece is memorable, stand out, immaculately choreographed and played for the rafters.

Robbie hasn’t been afraid to lay himself bare and the story is a sex, drugs and rock n’ roll maelstrom of excess, bad behaviour and wild cliché.

As aforementioned, it is endlessly bleak to the extent that, towards the end of the film, the lack of let up feels unrelenting. However, the story resolves as expected with a happy ending and it plays this card at just the right moment.

It’s everything a biopic should be. Honest, heartfelt, warts n’ all, unafraid, funny, polarising, controversial, dark, interesting, uplifting, toe tapping, illuminating, insightful, musical, tongue in cheek and brave.

It’s incredible the film exists as it does, it should be seen and discussed and joins a select few standard bearers on how exactly to do this sort of thing.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️