Singing chimpanzees aren't the wildest part of Better People
During the years when British superstar Robbie Williams was at the height of his fame, I often wondered why it was so difficult for him to achieve true global recognition. For those unfamiliar, Williams was originally a member of the beloved British boy band Take That in the early 1990s. After leaving the band in 1995, just as its success was reaching its peak, Williams transformed himself from potential pop culture footnote to icon. A series of blockbuster albums made him a household name in the UK, Europe and Australia, but not in the US, where his attempts to gain attention in the early 2000s met with limited success. Maybe the country has too many of its own icons — or maybe, as the new music biopic does better person Williams was too self-deprecating to sell sincerely, she argued.
Director Michael Gracey sticks to the basic outlines of the biopic genre. better person It tells the story of Williams' impoverished youth, his rise to fame, and the rise and fall of notoriety, all featuring interpretations of some of his most famous tracks. The synopsis suggests that the film is a procedural, musician-endorsed project, almost as if it was designed to be an entry point for a new generation of fans. Be warned, though: Williams is depicted as a CGI chimpanzee. Like a walking, talking, human-sized chimpanzee, portrayed and voiced by a motion-capture actor (Jonny Davis), a musician (Adam Tucker), and Williams himself.
Why is he a primate? better person It's never explained – although in the trailer, Williams mentions feeling “less evolved” than the others – and not a single character comments on it. Instead, the meaning of the conceit is left in the hands of the viewer. The decision is a confusing turn for a celebrity biopic, which may prevent it from becoming an outright sensation. but better person It deserves to be seen as more than just an odd curio: despite the seemingly ordinary premise and protagonist's design, it rightly delves into the subject's erratic character, using musical segments to advance the story rather than obligatory action interruptions. The result is one of the most well-crafted films about musicians I've seen in years.
As the British say, a central part of Williams' appeal has always been his thick skin. Yes, he is a handsome young man who sings catchy songs. Although Williams' modus operandi is heartfelt love songs and upbeat hymns, he exudes a sense that he never takes any of the glitz around him too seriously. His narration throughout better person One possible reason for his devil-may-care attitude was suggested: It was a cover for his alleged clinical depression that plagued him throughout his career, especially at his peak. What better way to emphasize this than to remove his image from the film entirely?
Chimp Williams' riveting performance comes from the fact that Gracie started his career as a visual effects artist – and he understands computer-generated characters. His previous directing work was greatest performera more traditional movie musical that attempts to package PT Barnum's complicated and problematic life into an inspirational story suitable for families. It made little sense, but backed by Hugh Jackman's bravado and Gracie's sure-footed approach behind the camera, it became a box-office phenomenon.
better person Not only are there the same familiar tunes, but the themes are much richer than Barnum's. Williams is also a performer, but he's a rawer, more relatable one. Even on the biggest stages, he always brought his personal flaws to light. Gracie's careful care of Williams' records is particularly striking. Williams' career could easily be filmed as a simple jukebox musical, following the track listings of his greatest hits CDs while sprinkling in some generic backstory material. Instead, Gracie rearranged the chronology to find numbers that matched thematically with events in the protagonist's life. Williams performed “Feel,” the lead single from his fifth solo album, to address his difficult childhood. The director recreated the singer's 2001 live performance of Frank Sinatra's “My Way” better person's finale; instead of choosing another number from the singer's own, he chose to evoke one of Williams' biggest inspirations.
The most jaw-dropping scene in the movie may also be the most timeline-defying. After a difficult adolescence in the ravaged industrial town of Stoke-on-Trent, better person A look back at Williams' early years in the music industry. Gracie captures the explosion of Take That's crossover appeal – as they climbed from small gay clubs to the national stage – in a scene where the band performs “Rockin' DJ,” Williams' 2000 solo chart-topping hit . It unfolds in non-stop CGI – aided by camera movements – as Williams and his bandmates – who in real life have nothing to do with the song – dance through the streets of central London, surrounded by There are more and more fans. The artificially long takes can sometimes feel gimmicky, but they work extremely well here, thanks in part to the creative choreography. Film music directors have to make certain decisions when setting up big numbers: Should they put everything into wide shots, capturing the scale of the dance moves but making the world around them feel static? Or is it better to keep cutting into the action, highlighting individual players but losing that sense of scale? Disposable technology helps circumvent these issues.
Gracie strives to innovate in several other ways, pushing beyond the visual conventions and limitations of the musical genre. A later scene, for example, renders the anthem “Let Me Entertain You” into a fantastical battle between Williams and his talkative chimpanzee demon. High scores like this help keep better person Even though the second half descends into overly sentimental territory, with Williams still struggling with the shackles of fame, I'm still glad. Still, some viewers may find the audacity of a CGI chimpanzee hero insurmountable — especially those who know little about the real person (including what he actually looks like). Early box office returns seem to indicate that American audiences are disinterested, if not outright confused. But Williams's growth has always depended on the sympathy and admiration of the audience; better person found a very silly way to represent this with its charming, if unevolved, Planet of the Apes.