Better Man Review: Pop Star Of The Planet Of The Apes

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As someone who has spent countless hours watching musical biopics, I must say that Better Man is a breath of fresh air in this saturated genre. While it follows the same general formula as other films about famous musicians, its unique premise and execution set it apart from the pack.

The musical biopic has become something of a genre unto itself. As Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story so hilariously pointed out, nearly every biographical film about a music star follows essentially the same story. Despite this fact, many of the recent biopics of this type have continued to follow the formula. Better Man, the biographical film about pop star Robbie Williams, it must be said, ultimately is that same story. However, it must also be said that no biopic has ever been told quite like this.

Better Man

Debut Date: The film will premiere on December 25, 2024

In essence, “Better Man” follows a common pattern seen in many musician biopics: rising to fame, excessively indulging in vices like drugs, alcohol, and sex, falling from grace, and ultimately finding redemption. However, the film’s depiction of these events is far from ordinary, reaching extraordinary levels of madness that one must experience to fully appreciate.

The film Better Man distinguishes itself from typical musical biopics in several unique aspects. One key factor is the subject’s active participation in the filmmaking process. In this case, Robbie Williams lends his voice to fresh recordings of some of his songs and also contributes an entirely new composition. Another significant departure is that the character portrayed by Robbie Williams isn’t played by a human actor who merely resembles him, as the leading character in this movie is a computer-generated chimpanzee.

Better Man’s CGI chimp detracts from the story until it doesn’t.

Previously, Michael Gracey helmed “The Greatest Showman,” a movie starring Hugh Jackman that presented a biographical account of P.T. Barnum. This film didn’t shy away from embellishing the truth about Barnum in order to craft an engaging narrative, making it arguably the most authentic depiction of Barnum’s life possible. In “Better Man,” Gracey pushes boundaries even further by abandoning factual accuracy altogether in the storyline.

In an extraordinary, peculiar, and somewhat puzzling turn of events, while every other character in “Better Man” appears to be human, I find myself taking on the role of an anthropomorphic chimpanzee – a fact that the movie doesn’t explicitly address. As we delve into the narrative, it becomes clear that I am, indeed, a chimp, and while the reasons behind this are subtly hinted at towards the end, they remain largely unexplained throughout the story. So here I am, a chimpanzee in a human world, ready to embark on our journey.

It’s a bit unusual, perhaps even peculiar at first glance, when your primary character is depicted with a chimpanzee’s face and yet no one in the narrative seems to notice or comment on it. However, much like adjusting to any computer-generated character in a film, your mind eventually adapts, suspends disbelief, and allows the story to unfold. In this case, the movie, Better Man, starts to distinguish itself from typical biopics once that process is complete.

Better Man’s blends reality and the surreal in a compelling way.

The movie has been labeled as a musical, but unlike traditional musicals, it features relatively fewer song and dance routines. However, the ones that are present are well-executed and serve as standout moments, allowing director Michael Gracey to exhibit his unique creative flair.

In essence, the film heavily relies on computer-generated imagery (CGI), particularly for the portrayal of the main character, a CGI chimpanzee. This digital aspect, rather than being a drawback, adds an extraordinary dimension to the movie, making sequences both in songs and other parts unbelievably outlandish. For instance, at some points, Williams seems to be fighting against himself and his self-doubt, which might not have been as impactful with a human protagonist. Despite being the only CGI character in the film, the dreamlike quality created by this technique saturates the entire movie.

In the Robbie Williams show titled “Better Man,” although it predominantly focuses on Robbie Williams and Jonno Davies, there are some human characters that merit attention. Among them, Steve Pemberton’s portrayal of Robbie’s father Peter stands out. The depiction of Peter in this series is a blend of familiar tropes and unexpected twists. Often, he appears as a distant father denying his son the love he yearns for. However, Peter is not just a one-dimensional character. His complex portrayal adds depth to the narrative, making his performance more intriguing than initially perceived.

Robbie Williams’ story doesn’t hold back on the star’s darker moments.

If a biopic includes its subject directly, there’s a risk of minimizing the less favorable aspects of their life. As I’m not well-versed in Robbie Williams’ personal life details, I can’t confirm if the movie Better Man does this. However, given how the film delves into dark themes and portrays Williams as the antagonist multiple times, it seems unlikely that it glosses over much of his life’s complexities.

In the gloomier chapters of this tale, I found myself genuinely astonished by the lead character’s portrayal. Frankly, watching a digitally created chimpanzee grappling with drug addiction and its subsequent rehabilitation could easily veer into the realm of the preposterous, potentially stripping it of its emotional impact. However, “Better Man” is unwavering in its commitment, and by the time we reach those somber moments, you find yourself just as engrossed in the story as I was, Robbie Williams – regardless of his appearance.

The unconventional plot of “A Better Man” might not resonate with everyone, as it essentially follows the familiar biopic formula if its unique elements are removed. Initially, I assumed I wouldn’t be drawn into it, but surprisingly, I was captivated from start to finish. The film skillfully combines a true story and intricate human emotions with a visual approach that is unprecedented in movies of this genre.

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2024-12-25 18:37