‘Better Man’ Review: Robbie Williams Biopic Would Be a Snooze, but for the Wild Choice to Depict Him as a Chimp

As a lifelong film enthusiast who’s seen more musical biopics than I care to admit, I must say that “Better Man” is a breath of fresh air! This movie takes the genre to new heights by replacing the human lead with a CG chimpanzee, and it works brilliantly. The simian portrayal of Robbie Williams is far more expressive than most human actors, making for an emotionally charged experience that leaves traditional biopics in the dust.

In an interview, Robbie Williams compared himself to a performing monkey, but he wasn’t suggesting this figuratively. Instead, director Michael Gracey sees this comment as a fitting description for “The Greatest Showman,” a biopic about Robbie Williams that is surprisingly eccentric. If it had been a traditional film with a real actor playing the role of Robbie Williams, it might have seemed ordinary, but in this case, it’s anything but ordinary.

In this unique retelling, Gracey guides viewers through the significant milestones of Robbie Williams’ career, such as his rise to fame with Take That and his historic solo concert at Knebworth. However, instead of the Britpop sensation himself, a computer-generated chimpanzee serves as the stand-in for this pop idol. Remarkably, this unconventional approach sets this production apart from countless other standard pop-star biographies. If you’re interested in spending four hours admiring this former boy band backup singer turned solo megastar, be sure to watch the “Robbie Williams” documentary series on Netflix. But if you’re intrigued by a chimp doing cocaine with Oasis, or receiving a crucial handjob from manager Nigel Martin Smith (Damon Herriman), then this film is for you.

Instead of casting Williams in the lead role, Gracey cleverly replaces him with a character strongly resembling Caesar from the modernized “Planet of the Apes” series. This way, he circumvents the primary concern audiences have about musical biopics – who will portray the main character? If you’re concerned that the ape aspect might be too distracting, consider how implausible it seemed to imagine Elton John’s life unfolding in the same manner if he resembled Taron Egerton, or if Rami Malek’s use of false teeth could transform him into the flamboyant figure of Freddie Mercury.

Lately, movies like “Stardust,” “Back to Black,” and even “Elvis” have been criticized for the disconnect between their lead actors and the real-life pop icons they portrayed. However, the film “Better Man” finds itself in a unique position, and this time, it’s a positive aspect. Since many Americans are not familiar with Williams, it makes it easier to accept the character Gracey has created. What’s more, his computer-generated simian counterpart shows a greater range of emotions than most human actors, making the movie emotionally impactful enough to bring tears to viewers’ eyes.

In “Better Man,” this exceptional musician raises the bar even higher by incorporating mind-blowing technical feats to his already impressive portfolio. For instance, the jaw-dropping “Rock DJ” performance staged amidst London’s bustling Regent Street, which was filmed over a span of four days and seamlessly edited together to look like one continuous shot, or the “Come Undone” sequence where he speeds away from the boy-band breakup, narrowly avoiding collisions with oncoming buses and being surrounded by a swarm of paparazzi. These sequences convey profound emotions in ways that traditional musical numbers can scarcely imagine, leaving them trailing behind.

However, the biopic “Better Man” shares a common flaw found in many pop-star portrayals: Instead of focusing on a pivotal period or event in their lives, these biographies often follow a cradle-to-grave or cradle-to-rehab narrative. While this works well for documentaries, it can be limiting when recreating dramatic narratives. This approach invariably molds the world’s most intriguing personalities into predictable storylines: They start by showcasing raw talent, then get discovered, followed by rapid wealth and fame, only to eventually succumb to addiction, infidelity, or ego. If they’re fortunate, they don’t overdose, thereby reinforcing the idea that it’s better not to be famous for ordinary people.

“The film titled ‘Better Man’ aspires to capture the essence of ‘All That Jazz,’ yet it seems to stick to a familiar narrative structure centered on redemption. Instead of a human protagonist, we meet an adolescent chimpanzee named Robbie, who appears skinnier and far hairier compared to his peers. Academically, Robbie struggles, but he excels at comedy, which is evident during a school play. It turns out that Robbie’s mischievous nature comes from his father, a comedian in the cabaret scene (played by Steve Pemberton under the stage name Peter Conway), who abandoned home to pursue his own entertainment career when Robbie was still young.”

The truth is more complicated, but a stunted man-child searching for Dad’s approval makes Williams relatable. Gracey extensively interviewed the superstar about his life, then constructed the narrative he wanted to tell with co-writers Simon Gleeson and Oliver Cole. His angle is frustratingly familiar, though the execution is downright astonishing — we’re talking Wachowski-level ingenuity as Gracey fashions sophisticated montages where you can’t even spot the cuts.

Imagine a moment when Robbie Williams discovers his most loyal fan has passed away, mere moments before his grandest performance. The shot begins with an intimate close-up of Robbie’s eyes, gradually widening to show him hanging upside-down above the stage, spinning 180 degrees as he glides over thousands of spectators. His eyes are captivating in this scene, and indeed, in every scene. They add a unique touch that truly sets them apart – vibrant green with a human-like enhancement, rather than resembling a chimpanzee. The visual effects team led by Wētā’s experts Luke Millar and Andy Taylor dedicated numerous hours to analyzing archival footage to ensure the singer’s facial expressions were perfectly captured on screen, so every blink, wink, and frown mirrored Robbie’s genuine ones.

As a movie enthusiast, I’d put it this way: In “Better Man,” the character of Williams is remarkably raw and uncensored, sprinkling colorful language throughout the film. This unfiltered attitude is cleverly mirrored by Gracey in various photo shoot scenes, even recreating the iconic “Rock DJ” music video where Williams sheds his layers to his very core. The lead character’s digital ape persona undergoes an emotional rollercoaster, from being smitten with fellow pop star Nicole Appleton (Raechelle Banno) to experiencing deep sorrow upon her decision to terminate their unborn child for a top chart hit. The film also touches on Williams’ bisexuality and his clinical depression, which adds depth to the storytelling. However, the portrayal of his internal struggles in the form of a battle among his various personas (reminiscent of “War for the Planet of the Apes”) might be pushing the boundaries of self-destruction a tad too much. Nonetheless, compared to “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Better Man” is a more compelling film due to its unapologetic and honest portrayal of its subject.

Regardless of the depths Williams sinks into, he remains an irresistibly endearing figure, with his connection to the monkey adding to this appeal. To be honest, the idea of Gracey’s chimpanzee was often questionable, as the “performing monkey” insult usually applies when Williams is being manipulated by others. However, behind the computer-generated ape lies a real actor, Jonno Davies, who performed many challenging scenes on set, including much of Ashley Wallen’s creative choreography. It’s challenging to determine how much of Davies’ work remains intact, but the quality of the final animation is so impressive that the Academy should find an appropriate category to recognize it.

2024-09-02 11:18

‘Better Man’ Review: Robbie Williams Biopic Would Be a Snooze, but for the Wild Choice to Depict Him as a Chimp

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