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https://theconversation.com/better-man-musical-biopic-of-robbie-williams-as-performing-monkey-will-entertain-you-246793>
"I can remember the mixed feelings I experienced as a teenager in 1997, buying
Life Thru A Lens – my first Robbie Williams album – cautious it was too poppy
to sit with my humble-but-growing CD collection of artists that would later be
known as Britpop.
Yet, the album’s inherent cheekiness combined with moments of vulnerability
made it something I was comfortable to include as part of the soundtrack to my
adolescent life. I was reminded of these feelings watching
Better Man (2024),
director Michael Gracey’s new biopic musical that charts the story of the
Williams’ journey to superstardom, along with his self-consciousness regarding
where he fits as an artist and person.
The singer-songwriter is present throughout the film, albeit off-screen in the
form of the narrator, guiding us through his history: growing up in
Stoke-on-Trent, the son of divorced parents, his joining and dismissal from
Take That, the reckless partying, his brief relationship with Nicole Appleton,
and his own solo career. There is often a brutal honesty in these events, where
no one (including Williams) comes off particularly well.
Insecurity, the search for self-authenticity and the desire for acceptance are
the three elements that fuel the film. “Robbie became a character, something I
could hide behind,” says Williams the narrator, offering some rationale for the
CGI monkey used to portray the artist. In case you’ve missed the publicity,
Williams is “played” by actor Jonno Davies, but in a computerised twist,
special visual effects present the performer as a CGI
walking-talking-singing-dancing simian.
Williams as chimpanzee is a stylisation choice which seemingly goes unnoticed
by other human characters in
Better Man. The film is not attempting a sci-fi
tone like
War for the Planet of the Apes (2017), but to my surprise makes
much better use of CGI precisely for that reason.
These visual effects serve to remind the viewer of the pure artifice of the
music industry and how fabricated identity – particularly that of performers
who have no direct control over it – can take its toll. According to Hollywood
industry magazine
Variety, William’s description of himself as a performing
monkey is what inspired Gracey’s aesthetic choice."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
