English pop star Robbie Williams has been huge in his native United Kingdom for over 30 years, first as a member of the boy band Take That, after which as a solo artist, with all however one among his 12 solo albums hitting No. 1 within the U.Okay. However by some means he’s by no means had a major influence in america, which can imply that the brand new movie about his life, Higher Man, might be neglected right here as nicely.
However whether or not you recognize Williams or not, the movie from author/director Michael Gracey (The Biggest Showman) is an audacious, extremely entertaining deal with that throws the usual music biopic on its head. Essentially the most daring a part of it’s that Williams is portrayed not by a sequence of actors, however in CGI ape kind, not in contrast to the current Planet of the Apes sequence. Williams, who does voiceover work for a lot of the movie, says within the fourth-wall breaking film that he requested for the look as a result of he is felt like a dancing monkey for a lot of his public-facing life.
And so the movie follows Williams from a younger age as he grows up together with his mom (Kate Mulvany) and grandmother (Alison Steadman) whereas nonetheless idolizing his deadbeat entertainer father (Steve Pemberton). Taking inspiration from his dad, he pursues a singing profession with all his coronary heart, becoming a member of Take That on the tender age of 16. However like has occurred to so many others, the overwhelming fame and his brash character lead him down some darkish roads, particularly medication.
Gracey, with co-writers Simon Gleeson and Oliver Cole, hits plenty of the beats current in lots of music biopics: Early success, bother adapting to fame, heavy drug use, ache stemming from childhood, and extra. And whereas the story is acquainted, the best way it’s introduced will not be, because the utilization of the ape visible permits the movie to go in lots of wild instructions. As a substitute of the film sometimes tipping its hat to Williams’ music, it turns right into a full-on musical on a number of events in sequences which are each thrilling and informative for individuals who are unfamiliar together with his work.
Williams is closely concerned within the movie, and but in contrast to different artists who need to micromanage their reputations, he lets all of his warts present. It’s clear from the beginning that he’s an in-your-face type of particular person, and so although the movie usually exhibits him at his worst, he owns as much as each little bit of his story. That’s to not say that the film isn’t on his facet; he’s largely portrayed as a cocky showman who’s nonetheless likable even when he shouldn’t be.
It’s humorous how shortly the ape gimmick goes from “WTF?!” to regular, which is a testomony to the movement seize know-how group that introduced it to life. Due to an excellent bodily efficiency by stand-in Jonno Davies and digital trickery that places Williams’ eyes on the ape’s face, his interactions with the opposite characters within the movie by no means really feel misplaced. If something, it provides an additional layer of pleasure onto a narrative that wants it at instances.
Other than his voiceovers, how a lot of Williams is “in” the movie is unclear, however his irrepressible vitality is felt all through. Pemberton, Mulvany, and Steadman are all incredible in demonstrating the Williams’ household dynamic. The big forged is stuffed with people who find themselves not acquainted to American film audiences, however they do a uniformly nice job of supporting the story.
Williams might not be well-known in america, however film lovers shouldn’t let that deter them from seeing this distinctive tackle a music biopic. Actually, it most likely helps when you have no distinct idea of the singer, because it permits his wild life story to be instructed with none preconceived expectations.
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Higher Man opens in theaters on January 10.
