Like many Americans, I knew little about Robbie Williams, a British pop star who began his ascent as a member of Take That, a boy band that scored big during the 1990s. In 1995, Williams set out on his own, scoring again as a solo act. Along the way, there were bouts with alcohol, drugs, and pop-star self-destruction.
On the surface, Better Man -- a biopic about Williams's turbulent life -- seems depressingly generic. A driven young man is nearly ruined by fame but eventually rights his ship. So much for a story arc.
But Better Man does something novel to refresh a familiar biopic approach. Evidently inspired by an acerbic Williams, who once described himself as a performing monkey, the movie depicts Williams as chimp. Ah, the burdens of being rich and famous.
Director Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman) employs a CGI chimpanzee, dropping the effect into a world populated by fully human actors who never react to the chimp as if there were anything unusual about him. The CGI chimp holds his own as a compelling performer, massive screw-up, and bubbling well of insecurity. (Jonno Davies does motion-capture work and dialogue. Williams does the movie's voice-over narration.)
A four-part documentary series on Netflix offers a look at Williams in the flesh, but Better Man provides a good idea about Williams's turbulent life.
Gracey includes lots of music and production numbers -- an extravagant performance of the number Rock DJ on London's Regent Street, for example, and another in which Williams hangs upside down over an audience. Well-staged, the musical numbers bristle with sugar-high energy.
The movie's human cast (yes, it's a strange thing to say) includes Steve Pemberton as Williams's father, an aspiring singer who abandoned his family to pursue a career in show business. Despite some bitterness, Robbie seeks Dad's approval, never quite shedding his insecurities as a working-class kid from Stoke-on-Trent.
Raechelle Banno portrays Nicole Appleton, a singer who steals Willams's heart. He's smitten, but problems disrupt the relationship. Appleton has an abortion, after her record company applies pressure. Motherhood evidently didn't mesh with Appleton's girl-band image.
The movie makes no attempt to paper over Williams's bad-boy flaws, but wears them defiantly, as if patting itself on the back for honesty.
Before it's done Better Man goes full showbiz cornball, but it has plenty of verve and a gimmick that comes close to concealing the movie's cliches. Moreover, the movie's chimp-based ploy likely will remain unique. Can you imagine A Complete Unknown with a chimp version of Dylan? Didn't think so.
Did the movie make me want to know more about Williams or listen to more of his music? Nah, but it made for a brisk two hours and 15 minutes, and Gracey and Williams certainly took a major risk by monkeying around with a well-worn formula. Sorry, I couldn't resist.
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