Better Man Review (First Reaction)

Natalia Manzolini ’28 / Emertainment Monthly Staff Writer

Spoiler-Free

Before this movie, the name Robbie Williams did not ring much of a bell. I’m not sure what motivated me to see this exactly but I am glad that I did. Better Man tells the story of Robbie Williams, a British pop star played by himself in this mostly biographical tale of his life and rise to fame from his teenage years. This musical biopic takes us on a whirlwind of fame, money, and desperation with one big twist; throughout the movie, Robbie is depicted as a CGI monkey. 

Once you get over the initial shock of following the life of a monkey through an otherwise human world, the story starts to pull you to a point where you don’t bat an eye at the fact he is an animal the whole movie. From stunningly shot dances of gold to icy landscapes, powerful emotion spreads its roots with every step we, and Robbie, take. My eyes were glued to the screen and my jaw dropped on multiple occasions. 

There is a raw charm in Robbie’s portrayal, from the raunchy, very British humor to the moments of triumph and loss, you feel every moment as if you are there with him. Despite the gleaming exterior, there is a throughline of mental health struggles imbued within so go in with caution if needed.

This creative reimagining of what a biopic can be infuses something new into a genre that has started to become worn. As a relatively avid movie watcher, musicals can be pretty hit or miss but this for me was a hit. The energy radiates off the screen and into each audience member until you can’t help but feel like you are on this journey too. 

Better Man has a limited theater release starting December 25th followed by a wide release on January 17th.