English pop star Robbie Williams has been massive in his native United Kingdom for over 30 years, first as a member of the boy band Take That, and then as a solo artist, with all but one of his 12 solo albums hitting No. 1 in the U.K. But somehow he’s never had a significant impact in the United States, which may mean that the new film about his life, Better Man, will be overlooked here as well.
But whether you know Williams or not, the film from writer/director Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman) is an audacious, highly entertaining treat that throws the standard music biopic on its head. The most daring part of it is that Williams is portrayed not by a series of actors, but in CGI ape form, not unlike the recent Planet of the Apes series. Williams, who does voiceover work for much of the film, says in the fourth-wall breaking movie that he asked for the look because he's felt like a dancing monkey for much of his public-facing life.
And so the film follows Williams from a young age as he grows up with his mother (Kate Mulvany) and grandmother (Alison Steadman) while still idolizing his deadbeat entertainer father (Steve Pemberton). Taking inspiration from his dad, he pursues a singing career with all his heart, joining Take That at the tender age of 16. But like has happened to so many others, the overwhelming fame and his brash personality lead him down some dark roads, especially drugs.
Gracey, with co-writers Simon Gleeson and Oliver Cole, hits a lot of the beats present in many music biopics: Early success, trouble adapting to fame, heavy drug use, pain stemming from childhood, and more. And while the story is familiar, the way it’s presented is not, as the usage of the ape visual allows the film to go in many wild directions. Instead of the movie occasionally tipping its hat to Williams’ music, it turns into a full-on musical on several occasions in sequences that are both thrilling and informative for those who are unfamiliar with his work.
Williams is heavily involved in the film, and yet unlike other artists who want to micromanage their reputations, he lets all of his warts show. It’s clear from the start that he is an in-your-face kind of person, and so even though the film often shows him at his worst, he owns up to every bit of his story. That’s not to say that the movie isn’t on his side; he’s mostly portrayed as a cocky showman who’s still likable even when he shouldn’t be.
It’s funny how quickly the ape gimmick goes from “WTF?!” to normal, which is a testament to the motion capture technology team that brought it to life. Thanks to a great physical performance by stand-in Jonno Davies and digital trickery that puts Williams’ eyes on the ape’s face, his interactions with the other characters in the film never feel out of place. If anything, it adds an extra layer of joy onto a story that needs it at times.
Aside from his voiceovers, how much of Williams is “in” the film is unclear, but his irrepressible energy is felt throughout. Pemberton, Mulvany, and Steadman are all fantastic in demonstrating the Williams’ family dynamic. The large cast is full of people who are not familiar to American movie audiences, but they do a uniformly great job of supporting the story.
Williams may not be well-known in the United States, but movie lovers should not let that deter them from seeing this unique take on a music biopic. In fact, it probably helps if you have no distinct concept of the singer, as it allows his wild life story to be told without any preconceived expectations.
