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Better Man
2024 135 min Australia, United Kingdom, United States of America, China, Cyprus R 18+
★8.0
Music, Drama
Director: Michael Gracey
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Description
Follow Robbie Williams' 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.
Budget:
$110M
US Gross:
$1.98M
Worldwide:
$22.55M
Starring
Robbie Williams
Actor
Jonno Davies
Actor
Steve Pemberton
Actor
Awards
Academy Awards 2025
— Best Visual Effects
Golden Globe 2025
— Best Original Song
BAFTA 2025
— Best Visual Effects
Key opinion
Better Man is a bold, experimental musical biopic that uses a CGI chimpanzee as a visual metaphor for Robbie Williams's complex relationship with fame and identity. While critics are divided on whether this unique narrative lens provides profound psychological insight or serves as a distracting gimmick, the film is generally praised for its energetic direction and emotional sincerity.
| Originality | The CGI chimpanzee performance is a daring and effective stylistic choice that offers a novel, revitalizing perspective on the standard biopic format. | |
| Direction | Michael Gracey's direction infuses the film with vivid musical sequences and a distinct authorial voice that elevates the production beyond generic musical dramas. | |
| Theme | The film balances the singer's internal demons with his public persona, providing an honest and vulnerable exploration of addiction and self-worth. | |
| Screenplay | The reliance on a formulaic 'rise-and-fall' narrative arc makes the film feel like a predictable collection of genre tropes to some viewers, despite its inventive visual presentation. | |
| Production | The CGI chimp design polarizes audiences; while many appreciate its expressive utility, others find it a distracting or off-putting gimmick that fails to compensate for a lack of narrative substance. | |
| Accessibility | The film's appeal is heavily dependent on prior familiarity with Robbie Williams, with non-fans often finding the story contrived or inaccessible. |