Our Review

                  Movie: BETTER MAN

    Rating: R, drug use, pervasive language,                  sexual content, nudity and some                           violent content                  

                           Length: 2:15

              Release Date: January 10, 2025

Jeanne: Apparently someone thought using a CGI chimpanzee to portray British pop singer Robbie Williams was a profoundly original idea. For some it may be, but instead, for me, it comes off as creepy and disturbing. Robbie as a chimpanzee still doesn’t negate the fact that BETTER MAN is nothing more than a run-of-the-mill biopic showcasing the meteoric rise, smashing decent, then the slow climb back into the good graces of this singer’s --- like too many others --- adoring fans. Yawn…

From the time he was very young in Stoke-on-Trent, England, Robbie (voiced by Carter J. Murphy) was bullied by just about everyone except his mother, Janet (Kate Mulvaney) and his beloved grandmother, Betty (Alison Steadman), who doted on him. Even his father, Peter (Steve Pemberton), who taught him to revere Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis, Jr., treated him poorly, eventually leaving him and his mother to pursue a career of his own.

But Robbie was determined to become famous. He auditions for a boyband in Manchester and after great persistence, he is made a member of Take That, a band managed by Nigel Martin-Smith (Damon Herriman). Nigel isn’t exactly thrilled with Robbie, and after several issues with alcohol and drugs, Robbie is dismissed from the band.

Self-doubt and addictions continue to plague Robbie (now played by Jonno Davies in voice and motion capture, singing vocals by Adam Tucker). He succeeds as a solo artist, performing in front of 125,000 fans at Knebworth, the pinnacle concert.

However, Robbie struggles throughout, envisioning his past selves in the audience mocking him. In a rather bizarre --- and extremely violent --- battle that only he envisions, Robbie fights with these images, killing his younger self. In an already unsettling film, this scene is completely nuts.

Eventually Robbie goes to rehab and begins his process of reconciliation. BETTER MAN culminates in a black-tie performance at Royal Albert Hall with both parents present. After a tearful tribute to Betty, he invites Peter on stage for a duet of “My Way”, Peter’s favorite by Sinatra. In a final moment of schmaltz, Peter tells Robbie “You’re one of the gods!” --- a term Peter has always used to refer to Sinatra, Martin and Davis, Jr. 

Unfortunately, the list of “famous” performer’s biopics has grown exponentially over the years. Some, obviously, have been more entertaining than others. But substituting a CGI chimpanzee does not actually make the end result “better”.

At two hours and 15 minutes, the screenplay by Simon Gleeson, Oliver Cole and director Michael Gracey is overlong --- and tedious. How many times must we watch this CGI chimp snort cocaine? There are a couple of impressive song-and-dance numbers, most notably one that takes place on Regent Street in London. But it’s not nearly enough to redeem this self-serving slog about a supremely pretentious “god”.

Opinion: Don’t Bother!

David: BETTER MAN is likely to be one of the most talked about movies of 2024. It also helps to know that it tells the story of British pop singer Robbie Williams who has an extensive resume filled with numerous awards notations. Williams is now 50 years old and achieved early fame as a member of the British boyband known as Take That in the early 1990s. He has gone on to even greater fame as a solo artist although he never really made an impression in American culture.

But why did Williams want to be portrayed on screen as a chimpanzee? The filmmakers brought the CGI chimp to life by using “motion capture” for his movements and “performance capture” for more subtle facial expressions and finger movement. The answer is that Williams felt “less evolved than other people”. The result is initially startling but after a short time we are completely accustomed to the image of a chimpanzee speaking, behaving and especially singing --- like a human.

The bottom line about BETTER MAN is that the film contains some fantastic sequences but is longer than it needed to be. The choreographed dancing on London’s Regent Street by the five Take That members, including Robbie, is truly spectacular. Part of that scene includes hundreds of extras dancing in synch with the boyband fellows. It is quite a sight--- kudos to choreographer Ashley Warren.

The crew was scheduled to film the dancing on Regent Street over four nights, but Queen Elizabeth died unexpectedly, and director Michael Gracey was adamant about keeping it in the film. However, it wasn’t until five months after the Queen’s death that enough money was raised to finally shoot the scene.

Robbie serves as narrator for the movie but it’s Jonno Davies who portrays Robbie’s chimpanzee form via motion capture, and he also provides his voice. Adam Tucker handles the majority of singing vocals for Robbie.

Other key cast members include Steve Pemberton as Peter Williams, Robbie's father, Kate Mulvany as Janet Williams, Robbie’s mother, and Alison Steadman as Betty Williams, Robbie's beloved grandmother. Raechelle Banno plays Nicole Appleton who became engaged to Robbie.

Personally, I was anticipating a sweeter film where the chimpanzee is a more sympathetic creature. He is certainly idolized by the throngs of screaming female fans and his body movements are as athletic as they are timely to the music. But on a couple of occasions the storyline includes some rather violent behavior as Robbie, while performing on stage, imagines his former selves in the audience and fictional carnage ensues. His behavior as portrayed here is fueled by drug use --- cocaine and heroin --- and heavy drinking.

However, the finale of Robbie on stage with his estranged father Peter in front of a huge crowd --- singing Frank Sinatra’s signature “My Way” --- would have us believe it’s Robbie’s way of showing he has become a “better” person.

Opinion: See It Now!