Better Man ★★★½

Entering Better Man, I had limited knowledge of Robbie Williams. This is not the first time, nor the last time this has been the case for me with a biopic. As with any good biopic, knowing the subject is not important for enjoying Better Man. Arn international music superstar, Williams’ biopic is an emotionally soaring, bittersweet, and heartfelt experience. Directed by Michael Gracey – who previously helmed The Greatest Showman – Better Man tracks his time from being a young boy in Stoke-on-Trent to joining the boy band Take That, embarking on his solo career, his struggles with fame, self-loathing, and addiction, and his turbulent romance with Nicole Appleton (Raechelle Banno) of the girl band All Saints. Determined to be famous and willing to do “whatever it takes” to ensure he does not become a “nobody” – a fear his father Peter Conway (Steve Pemberton) instilled in him, right alongside a love of performing – Robbie Williams (vocals and narration by Williams himself, Jonno Davies as the adult version and Carter J. Murphy as the kid version) gets everything he ever dreamed of and only then realizes the great cost.

Better Man has attracted plenty of attention for both Williams’ relative anonymity in the United States (including plenty of illogical vitriol) and, oh yeah, because he is portrayed by a CGI monkey. A symbol of viewing himself as “unevolved”, the monkey element of Better Man may immediately strike one as odd but is never a deterrent or distraction. As a metaphor, it makes sense and the CGI work is seamless with Davies’ vocal and motion capture work impressive. Together with Gracey’s structuring of Better Man as more of a musical than a straight biopic – even as it hits all of the familiar biopic narrative beats – the CGI monkey element is effective and helps the film stand out from the crowd of similar biopics, giving it a unique hook that cuts to the core of how its subject views himself and the tragic nature lurking beneath.

Better Man is an often moving and emotional experience, heightened by the brilliant musical scenes. The early number ‘Feel’ finds young Robbie discovering that his father Peter has left and will not return home, a heart-wrenching ballad, laying bare the emptiness that his father’s departure created and providing the foundation for much of the film’s emotional pain. More show stopping numbers like ‘Rock DJ’ with its detailed and expansive choreography gives the film bursts of sparkle and classically theatrical exuberance, riding emotional highs right alongside Robbie. However, it is numbers like ‘Come Undone’ and ‘She’s the One’ where Better Man transforms into being a truly striking visual experience. ‘Come Undone’ occurs as Robbie is asked to leave Take That and drives home, teetering on the brink of depression and confronting his self-loathing. With rain pouring and Robbie driving wildly, the mixture of close-ups, POV shots of headlights ominously dancing in front of his car, and an eventual transition into a brilliant underwater sequence, the sequence is a wonderfully realized contextualization of the song’s powerful and soulful lyrics that matches it with potent visual symbolism. 

The simply magical ‘She’s the One’ duet between Robbie and Nicole is similarly impressive, a highlight of the film in its doomed romanticism – it opens with narration from Robbie talking up Nicole, while also noting her terrible taste in men – with gorgeous choreography for Davies and Banno, cinematography that accentuates their movements and interconnectivity, beautiful vocals, and impressive editing that intercuts this initial encounter between the lovers with scenes of their burgeoning romance (there are few match cuts and transitions in this sequence that are brilliant), setting the table for its eventual decline due to his addiction. However, in the moment, it is so beautiful and hopeful, a bright light that counters the film’s often downbeat nature. Williams’ most successful single ‘Angels’ gets an emotionally stirring framing alongside scenes from his grandmother Betty’s (Alison Steadman) funeral, a fitting and gloomy occasion that brings to life all of the affection and fond memories that Williams holds for this woman who saw him as he was and loved every inch of him without hesitation. A final farewell with Nicole in this scene, too, is impactful with Better Man positioning her as a woman who was determined to fix him, who saw his wonderful qualities, and who was the victim of a self-destructive man, with a glance Banno delivers in this scene expressing multitudes. It is moments and numbers like these and how Gracey utilizes the music of Robbie Williams that elevates Better Man throughout, capturing the spirit within these songs and amplifying them into dreamy and fantastical occasions that transports one into another world.

When it comes to on-stage performances, Gracey often interrupts these with Robbie having visions of past as well as disapproving versions of himself in the crowd. Delivering hateful, self-deprecating, and threatening words, these manifestations of his depression prove an apt expression of the pain he feels within himself. Early on, he expresses his desire for fame and to be whatever audiences want him to be. This is a corrosive belief that ignites much of this self-loathing as he never sees himself as a worthwhile talent, always craving more and more attention from those who only demand things from him. It is draining and comes with the price of neglecting his genuine interpersonal relationships and passions, disappearing behind the moniker of “Robbie” and forgetting who “Robert Williams” was and is. Combined with trauma from his father and his own self-destructive tendencies in relationships, these key emotional arcs give Better Man a heartfelt and ultimately satisfying angle that finds Robbie confronting his demons – portrayed in an explosive rendition of ‘Let Me Entertain You’ at Knebworth 2003, an impressively choreographed, violent, and at-first shocking scene – and, eventually, learning to use his past mistakes and faults to grow as an individual. It is a beautiful, nuanced, and challenging film that never shies away from Robbie’s faults – especially in regards to Nicole – but one that positions him as a man who eventually learned he was worthy of love and genuinely talented. His closing number, a cover of Frank Sinatra’s ‘My Way’, feels like an act of self-love, appreciation, and emotional closure, a perfect song for the moment and given an appropriately stirringly sentimental but never cloying placing within the story.

Better Man has attracted plenty of attention for its unconventional decision to have its star, Robbie Williams, portrayed as a CGI monkey. However, it is far more than this one decision. It follows a largely familiar biopic narrative, but does so with gorgeous musical choreography, great usage of Williams’ extensive catalogue in heightening and contextualizing his feelings and life events, impressive editing, and great cinematography. It is a truly sumptuous and captivating visual experience, bolstered by Gracey’s sensitive and empathetic portrayal of the internal battles that Williams faced. Emotional, sorrowful, solemn, energetic, and exciting, Better Man is full-bodied entertainment that brings to life Robbie Williams’ music, whether one is familiar with him or not.