Rocketman (B+ or 3/4 stars)
'Rocketman' (Directed by Dexter Fletcher) follows events that culminated in a 1990 transformation that turned Elton John - the flamboyant, troubled hit-maker of the '70s/'80s - into the adored icon of British pop that he is today. This film is mostly presented in flashback, with Elton (Taron Egerton) - adorned in an outlandish orange sequined costume - looking back at his life from within rehab. The movie spans 1959-90, highlighting the soaring highs & devastating lows of the entertainer's outrageous life while utilizing 20 or so of his greatest hits (mostly from the '70s). 'Rocketman' focuses on Elton's ongoing, ill-natured relationship dad & his self-involved mom, Sheila (Bryce Dallas Howard); his long-standing, touching friendship with lyricist, Bernie Taupin (Jamie Bell); his destructive association with lover/manager, John Reid (Richard Madden); & his hellish descent into drugs, alcohol & bulimia.
Comparisons will be made btwn. this film & last yr.'s juggernaut Bohemian Rhapsody; heck, the director of that film, Bryan Singer, was originally slated to direct this film 'til controversy all-but-ended his career. But Fletcher didn't go the traditional biopic route, here. For 'Rocketman', he employs musical numbers as opportunities for flights-of-fancy & to accentuate emotional moments {a la All that Jazz or Moulin Rouge}; in other words, this film is more of a flat-out movie musical that happens to be about someone real. i.e., during "Crocodile Rock", performed at the Troubadour in 1970, Elton & the audience float from the floor, swept along by the amazing music. Various transition scenes are also aided by songs, with Elton starting them at one age & completing them during a totally different phase of his life.
Elton John chose Taron Egerton (best known from the Kingsman films} to play himself and, well, he picked a winner. Egerton doesn't just impersonate Elton ... he inhabits him. Many viewers - and I - are comparing Egerton to Rami Malek's Academy Award-winning turn in Bohemian Rhapsody quite favorably. While Malek's performance of Freddie Mercury was magnetic & acted extremely well, it was more an example of excellent mimicry than a 'becoming' of the man in question. Egerton not only captures Elton in all of his public swagger/flashiness, but also in his quieter, more private moments; his dark side. Most importantly, his ability to replicate Elton's singing voice adds yet another layer that the lip-synching Malek couldn't achieve.
The importance of Bernie Taupin to Elton's success can't be minimized. Taupin represents a stabilizing influence on Elton during his downward spirals and, Jamie Bell nails the portrayal. Richard Madden uses his charisma (exhibited now in the likes of Game of Thrones, Cinderella & The Bodyguard) to initiate a genial facade before turning downright predatory & cruel. Bryce Dallas Howard hams it up as John's narcissistic mother -- lacking love for her talented, if complicated son. And Gemma Jones is wonderful as Elton's supportive grandma {during a pivotal time in his adolescence}.
Fans of Elton should know that the music catalogue in the film is from the 1970s (the likes of "The Bitch is Back", "Saturday Night's Alright", "Bennie & the Jets", "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road", "Don't Go Breaking My Heart", "Your Song", et al) and, with exception of a new song which plays at the end, nothing in the film was released later than '83's "I'm Still Standing". Audiences may look for his later hits but, those songs are contained to the time period of this story. One more note on the music: I love EJ songs. That said, though this film is structurally superior to Bohemian Rhapsody ... I may actually enjoy Queen's music a smidge more, overall.
Also, unlike Bohemian Rhapsody {which faced derision for playing it safe in its PG-13 depiction of Queen's drug use & Mercury's sex life}, 'Rocketman' can't be accused of such sugar-coating. Copious are the instances of profanity, homosexual sex & drug/alcohol binges. Some of the tunes presented during this period take on a grim, rageful tone; heck, the titular "Rocket Man" is presented during an attempted suicide. That aside, this movie is simply a celebration of this global superstar. Not constrained by the familiar beats of a traditional biopic, the ingenuity of the musical fantasy sequences is spectacular. The costumes are stupendous. And Taron Egerton is a revelation as EJ; throwing his body & soul into it with emotion & verve to spare. Thanks to Sir Elton John himself, Egerton, Fletcher & the tech team ... 'Rocketman' is a joy to sit through.
Comparisons will be made btwn. this film & last yr.'s juggernaut Bohemian Rhapsody; heck, the director of that film, Bryan Singer, was originally slated to direct this film 'til controversy all-but-ended his career. But Fletcher didn't go the traditional biopic route, here. For 'Rocketman', he employs musical numbers as opportunities for flights-of-fancy & to accentuate emotional moments {a la All that Jazz or Moulin Rouge}; in other words, this film is more of a flat-out movie musical that happens to be about someone real. i.e., during "Crocodile Rock", performed at the Troubadour in 1970, Elton & the audience float from the floor, swept along by the amazing music. Various transition scenes are also aided by songs, with Elton starting them at one age & completing them during a totally different phase of his life.
Elton John chose Taron Egerton (best known from the Kingsman films} to play himself and, well, he picked a winner. Egerton doesn't just impersonate Elton ... he inhabits him. Many viewers - and I - are comparing Egerton to Rami Malek's Academy Award-winning turn in Bohemian Rhapsody quite favorably. While Malek's performance of Freddie Mercury was magnetic & acted extremely well, it was more an example of excellent mimicry than a 'becoming' of the man in question. Egerton not only captures Elton in all of his public swagger/flashiness, but also in his quieter, more private moments; his dark side. Most importantly, his ability to replicate Elton's singing voice adds yet another layer that the lip-synching Malek couldn't achieve.
The importance of Bernie Taupin to Elton's success can't be minimized. Taupin represents a stabilizing influence on Elton during his downward spirals and, Jamie Bell nails the portrayal. Richard Madden uses his charisma (exhibited now in the likes of Game of Thrones, Cinderella & The Bodyguard) to initiate a genial facade before turning downright predatory & cruel. Bryce Dallas Howard hams it up as John's narcissistic mother -- lacking love for her talented, if complicated son. And Gemma Jones is wonderful as Elton's supportive grandma {during a pivotal time in his adolescence}.
Fans of Elton should know that the music catalogue in the film is from the 1970s (the likes of "The Bitch is Back", "Saturday Night's Alright", "Bennie & the Jets", "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road", "Don't Go Breaking My Heart", "Your Song", et al) and, with exception of a new song which plays at the end, nothing in the film was released later than '83's "I'm Still Standing". Audiences may look for his later hits but, those songs are contained to the time period of this story. One more note on the music: I love EJ songs. That said, though this film is structurally superior to Bohemian Rhapsody ... I may actually enjoy Queen's music a smidge more, overall.
Also, unlike Bohemian Rhapsody {which faced derision for playing it safe in its PG-13 depiction of Queen's drug use & Mercury's sex life}, 'Rocketman' can't be accused of such sugar-coating. Copious are the instances of profanity, homosexual sex & drug/alcohol binges. Some of the tunes presented during this period take on a grim, rageful tone; heck, the titular "Rocket Man" is presented during an attempted suicide. That aside, this movie is simply a celebration of this global superstar. Not constrained by the familiar beats of a traditional biopic, the ingenuity of the musical fantasy sequences is spectacular. The costumes are stupendous. And Taron Egerton is a revelation as EJ; throwing his body & soul into it with emotion & verve to spare. Thanks to Sir Elton John himself, Egerton, Fletcher & the tech team ... 'Rocketman' is a joy to sit through.