Musical biopics are pretty common nowadays. That means, we’ve all seen the story of a person (or band) who start small and blow up in popularity. Then comes the struggles with addiction or fame, in general. Basically, we’ve seen it all. But with “Better Man,” the story of Robbie Williams is shown to us in a brand-new way.
As seen in the trailer, “Better Man” is the story of the life and career of British pop icon, Robbie Williams. And to make things even more interesting, they’ve decided to have Williams portrayed as a monkey. Yes, seriously. Everyone else is human, while Williams is a chimp.
The film stars Robbie Williams, Jonno Davies, Steve Pemberton, Damon Herriman, Raechelle Banno, Alison Steadman, Kate Mulvaney, Frazer Hadfield, Tom Budge, and Anthony Hayes. “Better Man” is directed by Michael Gracey. Previously, Gracey directed the film, “The Greatest Showman.” Davies not only does the motion-capture performance for the monkey role, he also voices most of Williams’ role throughout the movie, save some childhood scenes. Robbie does all the singing.
We saw the film as part of its Telluride screenings, and in our review, we said, “In theory, the idea to portray Williams as a CG monkey (physically captured by Jonno Davies and Williams himself as an adult), is a creative masterstroke. Perhaps for a short film or music video, this thematic choice would have a greater impact. As this 134-minute film unfolds, you simply tire of experiencing Williams being portrayed in this context.”
“Better Man” arrives in select theaters on December 25 before expanding nationwide on January 17, 2025. You can watch the teaser below.
Here’s the synopsis:
Better Man is based on the true story of the meteoric rise, dramatic fall, and remarkable resurgence of British pop superstar Robbie Williams, one of the greatest entertainers of all time. Under the visionary direction of Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman), the film is uniquely told from Williams’ perspective, capturing his signature wit and indomitable spirit. It follows Robbie’s journey from childhood, to being the youngest member of chart-topping boyband Take That, through to his unparalleled achievements as a record-breaking solo artist – all the while confronting the challenges that stratospheric fame and success can bring.
