All the screenshots in this post were taken directly from the movie by me.
Better Man is one of those films that's hard to disagree with when someone says something positive about it, and this was something that honestly surprised me considering not only was I not very familiar with Robbie Williams, but I'm generally very jaded about the concept of biopics, a format that has been overused in recent years with varying levels of quality as a result.
Starting with the unusual creative decision to depict Robbie in a CGI monkey (something that makes perfect sense when we see the film), as well as the recurring use of his brilliant themes throughout the promotional material, it was almost impossible to ignore a project like this. And while I don't deny that it still falls into the typical biopic cliches, I feel there are many positive aspects beyond this that make it worthy of a chance.
Directed by Michael Gracey, Better Man is a film about one of the most significant English singers in history: Robbie Williams, an irreverent and charismatic character.
In Better Man, we see his rise to stardom, and all the good and bad things he encountered along the way: ambition, drugs, a bitter relationship with his father, and the constant struggle with the ghosts of his past.
Beyond this, what makes the film such an enjoyable experience is its ability to show the more questionable aspects of Robbie's personality without having to sugarcoat them (a recurring problem with biopics), finding a perfect balance between the detestable and the empathy that comes from watching him suffer.
The use of a chimpanzee to narrate the events serves several purposes: it infuses the film with a rather enjoyable touch of surrealism, makes it easier for us to feel sorry for him when we see him commit certain atrocious acts, and gives the film a certain universality where we can enjoy what we see on screen even if we're not familiar with the person.
As I mentioned earlier, Better Man doesn't escape the typical tropes of the genre; it's predictable in nature and molds reality to generate a stronger emotional impact. However, it's visually interesting and has a rawness that's uncommon in modern cinema, making it unfortunate that it didn't achieve the expected results at the box office worldwide.
This score was taken from my Letterboxd account.
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