This December, instead of angels we're loving apes as the quirky, must-see music biopic Better Man hits Cineworld screens. The film puts a memorably mad spin on the stratospheric career of Stoke-on-Trent's finest Robbie Williams, the one-time boy band member who went on to rule the world.
However, the film stresses that this fame and success came at a price, and it demonstrates this in a truly unusual way. Scroll down to find out how.
What is Better Man about?
In the words of the official 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.'
In other words, expect an anti-biopic as former Take That member turned solo sensation Williams is rendered (via actor Jonno Davis and performance capture) as an ape, although his speaking voice is retained. This is designed to show how fame makes animals of everyone, and what it takes to rise back from the bottom after having been top of the world for so long.
Why does Better Man depict Robbie Williams as a chimpanzee?
"There have been a lot of musical biopics," says director Michael Gracey (via BBC News). "I wanted to come at this with a different lens.
"Quite often Rob will say, 'I'm just like a performing monkey' or 'I'm up the back like a performing monkey'.
"It just sparked this idea of, we've got this chance to tell this story, not from the perspective of how we see Rob, but how he sees himself.
"And so I pitched the idea to Rob. I said, 'You know, if you were to be an animal, how would you see yourself?'"
What has Robbie Williams said about Better Man?
Williams has said that the film takes a refreshingly no-prisoners attitude to his meteoric career, even if certain individuals don't come out of it cleanly.
Williams tells Yahoo News: "Look, I want to, and choose to try and represent myself in the most authentic way possible, in an industry that is constantly asking you to be an authentic more so these days, with the fear of being cancelled with anything that you say. So you vanilla yourself. I have been on the spectrum, have this ability to overshare."
"And if I'm throwing myself under the bus, you can guarantee that other people are coming with me."
Who directs Better Man?
Better Man is helmed by Michael Gracey, best known as the man behind the sensationally successful The Greatest Showman. Released in 2017, the movie put pop-tastic musical spin on the tortured life of circus impresario P.T. Barnum, played in the film to winningly charismatic effect by Hugh Jackman.
The film was a box office success and spawned one of the best-selling soundtracks of all time, buoyed by empowering hits like 'This Is Me'. Expectations are, therefore, high for Better Man.
Gracey praises the work of special effects house WETA, best known as the team behind Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings movies. Gracey says (via Gold Derby): "[WETA] has got such a history in creating emotive performances. And the level of detail which they capture is just breathtaking. There would be no film if it wasn’t for the artistry that that team brought."
He also lauds the performance capture work of actor Jonno Davis, saying: "It’s Jonno dancing, it’s Jonno acting, it’s Jonno going down Regent Street. Even Robbie was blown away. [Jonno’s] going to go on to become a huge star.”
When is Better Man released at Cineworld?
Better Man is released on December 26th.
What age certificate is Better Man?
Better Man is rated 15 by the BBFC for 'very strong language, drug misuse, strong violence, sex and suicide references'.
Where can we book tickets for Better Man?
Book your Better Man tickets via the link below and also check out the trailer.
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