When it comes to music biopics, you can pretty much predict the structure it follows and some of the emotional beats it hits. Films in this category usually chart the unlikely rise of a major star and the struggles they face navigating fame, relationships, and more often than not, addiction. The film Better Man, which centers on the rise, fall, then rise again of UK pop star Robbie Williams follows a similar path, but with one major catch: Williams is portrayed as a CGI chimpanzee. The reasoning for this is largely due to Williams himself stating that he has always felt “less evolved” than others. However, this could also be interpreted as a larger statement on being a celebrity, as some have compared the experience to being a dancing monkey. While Better Man admittedly takes a big swing with this, it still checks a lot of the same boxes that the average music biopic does, just with a chimp as the main subject. Despite this, it redeems itself due how it portrays Williams as a complicated figure who struggles with insecurity and addiction, as well as some electrifying musical sequences. It may not break the mold for music biopics, but it is still quite interesting and has some distinct touches to help it stand apart from other films like it.
The film follows Robbie Williams (voiced by Williams himself, portrayed by Jonno Davies in motion capture) through his life and career, beginning with his childhood. His father, Peter (Steve Pemberton), is an entertainer who strives for fame, which often gets in the way of his and Robbie’s relationship. But it is through his dad that he gets inspired to become an entertainer himself, a dream that he chases from a young age. After getting his big break performing with the boy band Take That, Robbie goes solo, reaching a whole new level of fame. He struggles with this, along with alcoholism and drug addiction, his personal relationships, and his own anxieties and self-doubt, but continues to pursue his lifelong dream of entertaining others in spite of this.
Director Michael Gracey isn’t exactly the first person who I would have guessed would direct this film considering that I only really know him as the director of The Greatest Showman. That film was a family-friendly spectacle that sanitizes the life of P.T. Barnum, so it is a bit surprising to see him take on something with a more irreverent tone that doesn’t shy away from some of the darker aspects of Robbie Williams’s life. Gracey balances the film’s humor and more emotional moments rather well, giving the film a distinct identity that helps keep it from feeling like a run-of-the-mill biopic. A lot of this is due to Williams’s narration and overall involvement in the project, but Gracey still captures his essence rather well, and it radiates through the entire film.
Gracey’s biggest strength lies in the musical numbers, which are lively and highly entertaining. This is no surprise considering that the musical numbers are far and away the best part of The Greatest Showman, but this film just solidifies that he has an eye for it. The numbers reminded me a bit of the Elton John biopic Rocketman (which Gracey was originally set to direct), which repurposed some of John’s biggest hits in musical sequences that helped tell the story of his life. Better Man does this as well, incorporating some of Williams’s biggest hits into significant moments of his life and career. I wouldn’t say that the numbers fit as seamlessly into the story as they do in Rocketman, but they are still pretty well-done. The biggest standouts to me are “Rock DJ”, which is mostly done in one long take, and “Let Me Entertain You” which is accompanied by violent imagery that I wasn’t expecting to see in a film like this. These sequences inject so much life into the film, and Gracey directs them very well.
Although the film boasts some impressive visuals, especially with the motion-capture of the chimpanzee version of Robbie Williams and the aforementioned musical numbers, the rest of the film is quite similar to other music biopics. It follows the same rise and fall trajectory we’ve come to expect from movies like this, hits a lot of the same beats in regards to Williams’s personal and professional struggles, and is kind of predictable. While it is kind of novel to see a chimp partying and dealing with drug addiction, it doesn’t fully make up for the film feeling a bit too familiar overall. The film is saved, however, by Williams’s distinct personality, which gives the film a cheekiness that helps it stand out. Much like how the film shows Williams getting to where he is by being unapologetically himself, the film also uses his essence to make the film feel a bit more original. At the very least, this helps keep the film entertaining, and the film’s humor gives it some much needed levity amidst its heavier elements.
I will say that the film does a pretty good job of handling Williams’s insecurity and strained relationship with his father. The latter is a major facet of the whole film, although it does occasionally get a bit repetitive. However, it captures the complicated nature of their relationship, as they both love each other, but are so obsessed with the idea of fame that they tend to neglect important people and things in their lives. In the case of Robbie Williams, it seems like he can’t get out of his own way, something that is brilliantly distilled to a specific repeated image in the film. In the scenes where Robbie is performing, he looks out into the audience and sees a younger version of himself scowling at him. We see many versions of this throughout the film, as they build on top of each other to a great moment near the end of the film. It’s a rather simple feature of the film, but one that drives the self-doubt that Williams and other artists face in their creative pursuits.
Perhaps part of the reason I’m a little more forgiving towards some of the more derivative elements of the film is because I didn’t know much about Williams or his career going into this film. I had heard a couple of his songs before and knew that he was a big deal in the UK, but that was about it. So the film did help give me a good idea of who he is and what he’s all about. I’m sure some moments were embellished or changed to create a stronger narrative, but I at least can say I have a good idea of who Williams is as both a public figure and a person. I’m sure this will hit different for fans of Williams or people who are more familiar with him, but those who have little to no knowledge of him might be intrigued. I’m not saying this film turned me into a Robbie Williams superfan, but I can’t deny that he has a certain X factor and has some very catchy songs.
Better Man might not make the best use of its central gimmick, but it does serve as a pretty good encapsulation of who Robbie Williams is as a person and an entertainer. It is at its best during its musical sequences, but also has some strong moments regarding its depiction of Williams’s struggles with mental health and addiction. It shares some commonalities with other music biopics, mainly in terms of its structure, but its distinct personality helps it rise above this a little. I appreciate the film for taking a risk, even if it doesn’t fully pay off, and I must admit I was invested all throughout it. I’ll be curious to see how American audiences respond to it, considering that Williams doesn’t have as large of a presence in the States. However, as someone who knew next to nothing about him before watching the film, I must say that he is an interesting figure who’s made some good music and knows how to entertain a crowd. Better Man might not be as much of a game changer as it seeks to be, but it is still an intriguing portrait of fame and stardom that matches its subject’s energy quite well.
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