Better Man (2024)

​"Better Man" stars Robbie Williams, Jonno Davies, Steve Pemberton, Damon Herriman, Raechelle Banno, Alison Steadman, and Kate Mulvany.  Released on December 25, 2024, the film chronicles the life story of pop singer Robbie Williams.

The film was directed by Michael Gracey, a visual effects artist best known for directing "The Greatest Showman" and "Pink: All I Know So Far".  When you're a singer, actor, or even an online influencer, you might run into specific days when you feel less evolved.  I'm talking about the days when you have the urge to go crazy regardless of the consequences you might receive, so much so that you'll be making a monkey out of yourself.  In this case, one artist has taken that whole "monkey" phrase a little too literally.  The Christmas season saw the release of Bob Dylan's fact-based tale, which involved his defying the odds of musical tradition, and it was a decent one at best.  However, most people didn't realize that another musical biopic was released during the season, which focused on a singer who may not be as well-known in America as Bob Dylan.  I'm referring to British pop singer Robbie Williams, who found immediate fame through his career as a member of the pop group Take That and a solo artist in the 1990s.  You haven't heard of him?  Neither have I, which is why this film exists.  However, this movie features a unique approach to the traditional formula: transforming Robbie Williams into a literal monkey.  I suppose that's one way to make another "Planet of the Apes" prequel.  But does it work in creating another worthy biopic worth going bananas for?  Let's find out.

The movie follows the life story of Robbie Williams (Williams/Davies), but he is portrayed as a CGI chimpanzee because he feels "less evolved" than other people.  As he finds solace in his grandmother Betty's (Steadman) support, Robbie eventually finds success through his talents and ambition to be a singer.  As a result, Robbie becomes a member of a boy band known as Take That, propelling him to stardom.  Amid his fame, Robbie is surrounded by life's biggest challenges that could affect his career, including his less-evolved behavior and self-doubt.

As I mentioned earlier, I hadn't heard of Robbie Williams until the film's teaser was released, and it's understandable why.  While he was iconic in his hometown, Williams didn't make much of an impact in America regarding the fanbase.  So, it's easy to see why "Better Man" is struggling to make enough money at the U.S. box office.  Regardless, I couldn't resist learning more about Williams and his career, especially since the film is doing something different to the biopic formula.  I don't mind watching biopics as long as the quality and storytelling carry them, especially ones involving music.  But sometimes, I prefer them to deliver something fresh and exciting in how people's life stories are told to maintain the audience's interest in the genre.  Pharrell Williams told his life story through the art of LEGO pieces in "Piece by Piece", and look how that turned out, although not many people went to see that either, much to my disappointment.  "Better Man" sought to try this strategy again, with Robbie Williams being portrayed as a computer-animated anthropomorphic chimpanzee to emphasize his erratic personality and self-perception.  The result is just as wild and ludicrous as the artist himself.

"Better Man" was absurd, mean-spirited, and even uncivilized, but it was also immensely entertaining, incredibly surreal, and thoughtfully emotional.  Having the pop singer portrayed as an animal would've been something that's too out there to carry a seemingly typical biographical musical, but through some miracle, Michael Gracey and his team managed to pull it off with style.  Does it follow the play-by-play formula we've seen in other biopics?  Of course, it does because we've seen celebrities confront their high and low points themselves every time, especially singers.  However, that doesn't mean it's not worth telling since it usually reminds us of the dangers of fame, especially when it leads to negative outcomes like addiction, depression, and suicidal thoughts.  Robbie Williams' life story is unsurprisingly no different, as it depicts his rise to fame as a member of Take That, his solo career, his fall from grace, and his redemption.  During his career, Robbie also confronts his self-doubt via hallucinations of his past self as he struggles to rediscover his true purpose.  It plays through similar motions regarding its narrative, often leading to some predictable moments.  However, "Better Man" is another example of a musical biopic done right, with just enough pizazz, energy, and heart to reinvigorate its traditional beats, and yes, its third act made me cry.

Michael Gracey had surprisingly made a name for himself as a director, thanks to his directorial debut "The Greatest Showman".  While that film wasn't the best depiction of its topic, it highlighted Gracey as a filmmaker who can make every scene pop and sizzle with its visuals, choreography, and cinematography, especially the musical numbers.  Considering that Gracey also worked as a visual effects artist, it made sense why everyone was head over heels for Hugh Jackman and his unique performers.  So, I was very curious to see if he could repeat that success with this distinct take on the biopic formula.  After watching it unfold, I can easily say this is a massive improvement over "The Greatest Showman".  

Obviously, it was because "Better Man" doesn't shy away from its mature themes and Robbie's immaturity, hence the R-rating.  But more importantly, Gracey was allowed to embrace the dynamic chaos and fever dream aesthetics found in its metaphorical and musical sequences, which benefited from Erik A. Wilson's 90s-esque cinematography and the film's impressive editing.  The result is a bold, frenetic, and visually dazzling experience that may seem hard to believe, but I couldn't help but go along with it anyway.  However, its two-hour-plus runtime can be a bit too much for specific people regarding its presentation and content, mainly due to its mean-spirited tone and British slang.  Regardless, it showed strong signs of Michael Gracey's potential future as a visionary filmmaker, especially in the musical genre.

Robbie Williams only provided the narration for the film, with his chimpanzee form being portrayed by Jonno Davies via voice and motion capture.  Davies, known for his roles in projects like the Amazon Prime series "Hunters", was tasked with capturing the mannerisms and wildness of Robbie's young self through his performance.  It seemed like a challenge since he was performing alongside actors in a mo-cap suit, but Davies was able to accomplish it wonderfully.  Like what Andy Serkis accomplished for Caesar in "Planet of the Apes", Jonno Davies provided humanity and emotional heft into a CGI monkey that felt more genuine than out-of-place.  I would even say that the visual effects of Williams' monkey form were pretty remarkable in how he blends in with the environments, real-life or surreal.  Steve Pemberton and Alison Steadman were also stellar in their roles as Peter Williams, Robbie's father, and Betty Williams, respectively.

Overall, "Better Man" makes a monkey out of its conventional biopic formula with a zestful, untamed, and refreshing musical experience that'll make genre fans go bananas.  Like what "Piece by Piece" did for Pharrell Williams, the film successfully takes advantage of and reinvents its traditional narrative notes to provide a unique and faithful depiction of a singer's career and its relatable themes.  More importantly, it's a consistently entertaining and visually hectic roller coaster that doesn't lose its heart within the lyrics.  While it can be a bit too much for specific audiences regarding its runtime, the film is another musical biopic done right, thanks to its diverting cast (mainly Jonno Davies), Michael Gracey's outstanding direction, refreshing screenplay, and stellar visuals.  If you're in the mood for something crazy and different in the musical biopic genre, you should definitely give this film a shot.

A-