Ridiculously Enjoyable Robbie Williams Biopic: A CGI Monkey Steals the Show
What initially seemed like an outrageous gamble—a CGI chimpanzee playing Robbie Williams—pays off in spectacular fashion in Better Man, a musical biopic that’s as audacious as its subject. At the beginning of 2024, if someone had told me I’d enjoy a Robbie Williams biopic directed by Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman), I’d have dismissed it outright. But as the year ends, I find myself eating humble pie. Better Man is not just entertaining; it’s genuinely brilliant. The surprise twist? Williams isn’t played by a young actor from the Sylvia Young Theatre School, eager to land his first GQ spread. Instead, he’s portrayed by a CGI chimpanzee—a bold move inspired by Williams’ own comment about feeling like a “performing monkey.” The choice is nothing short of genius. It sidesteps the inevitable comparisons between actor and subject, allows Williams to voice his digital avatar, and adds a surreal, fantastical dimension missing in films like Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman. Crucially, the...
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