Better Man

by Philip Price

Photo: Paramount Pictures

Director: Michael Gracey
Starring: Robbie Williams & Jonno Davies 
Rated: drug use, language, nudity, sexual content & some violent content
Runtime: 2 hours & 14 minutes

With better musical numbers - at least as far as how they’re conveyed in the format of the film - than “Wicked” and a more innovative take on the musical biopic certainly than anything that has been released since “Bohemian Rhapsody” became a four-time Oscar winner, “Better Man” transcends its multiple genres and demolishes expectations via several choices, perspectives and ideas. Chief among these is that the main character, British pop star Robbie Williams, is rendered as a chimpanzee for the entirety of the film. Whether this is due to the fact he felt “less evolved” than those around him, that he felt treated like a circus act during his "Take That" days or simply that he became something of an animal once fame afforded him the space to be, the central gimmick is more admirable in a distracting fashion than it is an influential one, but it doesn't not work, and that was the risk in taking such a swing.

​The facet that actually separates “Better Man” from the current crop of musical biopics is the fact Williams himself couldn't give less of a shit about PR. That is to say, the man has no issue showing you his scars or telling you how he feels about those that surrounded him. Getting this kind of unfiltered access and perspective feels more and more rare these days when the majority of musical documentaries are more or less controlled and, therefore, extremely filtered pieces of marketing material for their subjects. Luckily, a puff piece is not what either Williams or director Michael Gracey were interested in. As these things always go, it begins with wanting to make a father proud because of the lack of attention said father paid to their child while still on their quest for fame and fortune. This neglect enables the kind of imposter syndrome Williams suffers from throughout the film and likely still to this day, even with all of the awards and accomplishments, propping up the drive that has ultimately placed him in a position to command his musical biopic despite what some might consider proper talent.

The idea that we're getting a sincere picture of Williams and not simply an example of an aforementioned marketing product would be enough to garner “Better Man” more praise than its contemporaries despite violating one of my key music biopic principles. In more cases than not, films like these will have scenes in which an artist's iconic or well-known works spring to them as if by some divine intervention rather than doing the work to carve out the characterizations that show why only this song could have come from this person at this particular point in time. With Williams, though there is some time paid to his lyrical compositions, the focus isn't so much on his level of talent or even the music that he created, but rather the focus is on said drive and the level of adoration when fame is the bigger objective than feeding those you love by doing what you love.

What Gracey - who also co-wrote the script - does to balance the fact that Williams isn't a Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash or Elton John type in terms of his songwriting or craftsmanship is make the movie a full-on musical. Yes, movies like “Walk the Line” and “Bohemian Rhapsody” feature several performances of their protagonist's famous songs – “Rocketman” leaning into this same musical idea because of the theatricality of its subject - but combining these elements and genres and putting them in the hands of someone like Gracey who championed and helmed “The Greatest Showman” - helps this somewhat tired template of biographical films unlock something fresh. Graphing Williams' songs like "Angels" and "She's the One" into the narrative of his life allows Gracey to not only stage some beautiful sequences but create some gorgeous visual symbolism that are as resonant within the music as they are within the context of Williams' story. The standout, though, is the "Rock DJ" sequence, which is easily one of the most electrifying moments at the movies audiences will experience this year, if not one of the best musical numbers in film in recent memory, utilizing every aspect of the medium to enhance this "experience" Williams has made the cornerstone of his brand and reputation.