ROCKETMAN REVIEW
Starring: Taron Egerton, Bryce Dallas Howard
Directed By: Dexter Fletcher (Eddie the Eagle)
Rated: R
Runtime: 2 hours 1 minute
Bohemian Rhapsody set the pop culture on fire last year with the retelling of Freddie Mercury’s life.The movie won its star, Rami Malek, an Oscar for his portrayal of the Queen lead singer.Rock docs are a hot commodity.Like comic books, familiar IP with a built in fan base, they can get people to a theater.What they think afterwards is irrelevant.The more people praised Bohemian Rhapsody, the more I grew to hate it.I found it to be a mediocre movie that had no interest in showing the real Freddie Mercury, warts and all.I found Malek’s performance to be quite good, maybe not Best Actor good, but I didn’t necessarily have a problem with him winning.Bohemian Rhapsody had a myriad of production problems, including the director being fired towards the end of shooting.The replacement director, Dexter Fletcher, directed this film.
Which leads us to Rocketman, the story of Elton John, produced by Elton John.He did agree to have his flaws put on the big screen.The drug use, the hard drinking, the promiscuous sex, his family squabbles.All up there for the world to see.And it makes for a mixed bag.
Rocketman tends to be a depressing look at a life filled with pain.An AA meeting is used as the framing device for the film.We see Elton walk into the meeting in a lavish costume after a performance, and retell his story from childhood to about 1983.Unlike a lot of movies in this genre, it does not treat its subject with kid gloves.
The movie combats the frequent down notes with lavish, theater style performances of Elton’s greatest hits.You’ll see a scene where something terrible happens to Elton John, and BOOM it inspires a hit song, inspiring an elaborate performance.
I’m just sitting in my chair, conflicted that so many of these songs were the source of so much pain for Elton John.They sound so happy, so care-free.And Elton didn’t even write them.His longtime collaborator, Bernie Taupin, wrote most everything in the movie.The Broadway-style performances were fun and a unique delivery on the same ol’ “rise and fall” rock and roll story.
Couple things you’re looking for in a biopic like this.How was the portrayal of the rock star?Well, I LOVED Taron Egerton as Elton John.I was actually quite impressed by his work here.He reportedly sings the songs himself here, although clearly lip synched, which is fairly typical.The only other thing I’ve seen Egerton in is the Kingsman series of movies, which coincidentally the sequel co-starred Elton John.I didn’t know he had this movie in him.I don’t think he’s going to win an Oscar like Malek did for Bohemian Rhapsody, but it’s really commendable work.
Second thing you’re wondering about in a movie like this, how is the music?It’s really good.You never get the full song, but it plays out like an Elton John Greatest Hits album.Most of the music you’ll be familiar with.As a 34 year old, a lot of my knowledge of Elton John is The Lion King and Candle in the Wind.I also am more familiar with him as “The Guy Who Sang With Eminem at the Grammys in 2001” than “The Guy Who Started Out as a Pub Pianist”.
The film is as flamboyant as you’d expect.Making no bones about John’s sexuality, compared to Bohemian Rhapsody where it seemed to use Freddie’s love of cats as code for him being gay.Freddie Mercury was gay.Elton John is gay.Just say it.All in all, Rocketman is a good movie.It’s just not a “feel good” movie.The music is great, but it’s forged in so much sadness that it’s hard to get lost in the bright colors and underlying messages of just being yourself.
On a scale of "See It/Stream It/Skip It" -- Stream It – Worth watching for Egerton’s performance alone, especially if some award nominations come out of this for him.If that’s the case, the movie will already be on video by then.
If you liked Bohemian Rhapsody, Straight Outta Compton, and A Star is Born you might enjoy Rocketman
3 out of 5 stars for Rocketman – A roller coaster of emotions that I wasn’t prepared for going in can’t change the fact the movie is solid.