Rocketman - Dexter Fletcher
There are so many great music bio-pics. I loved Bohemian Rhapsody and Amy. This film is a completely different take on the genre than either of those.
Knowing almost nothing about Elton, Taron Egerton (Kingsman: The Secret Service & Robin Hood), coming into this I was a little worried that I was not the target audience and as such wouldn’t get much out of it.
Beginning At End
Unsure if this is a trend or if I have just watched a heap of films recently that do this. There is a huge risk doing this as it can take the tension out of film as we know the hero is going to reach this point. Coming into the story towards the end is handled really well here.
He has a surreal conversation with a younger version of himself, Matthew Illesley (Wrath of Man), which is great. He chases himself into his own past and then the movie begins.
Song Performance
There are many problems with a film showing performances of songs. These issues are tied to the fact that it is impossible to translate the feeling of actually being at a concert to the screen.
There is just something magical about being in a room with people who are being moved by music with you. It’s an experience. Elton was very theatrical and had some spectacular costumes so this helped a lot.
As I say in all my bollywood reviews, if the song isn’t going to move the plot forward than why is it in the film. They nail this in Rocket Man. The songs all serve a purpose and are much more than that.
Magical Realism
The film uses magical realism throughout with aplomb. It turns powerful moments on there heads and sprinkles them with magic. After all, there is only so much of watching someone perform songs that one can watch.
There is a fantastic performance at the Troubadour when Elton is making his first foray into the US. Both he and the audience begin to float away as he smashes out Crocodile Rock. We float away with them – tingles down your spine.
Relationships
The relationship with his parents is heart-wrenching. His mum is better than is dad but that isn’t saying much. His mum, Bryce Dallas Howard (Jurassic World & The Help), delivers brutal assessment of the loneliness that his life will be as a gay man. I mean there is logic in what she says given the time and place we were at at this point in the film. But she completely ignores the fact that he is baring himself to her.
His dad, Steven Mackintosh (Care & Rang De Basanti), is cold and harsh and later on it feels like he is finally going to reconnect with Elton – he asks him to sign an album for him. Elton is next-level touched, tearing up. He signs and then his dad asks him to make the signature out to a friend of his – he doesn’t really like Elton’s Music. Brutal
The relationship with his new producer, Richard Madden (Game of Thrones & Bodyguard) is also so brutal. So much pain as Elton spirals out of control without any support.
Elton's Creative Genius
The creative genius is something to watch. His co-writer Bernie, Jamie Bell (Billy Elliot & Nymphomaniac: Vol1 & Vol2) walks in and hands him lyrics. Elton sits at the piano and the music instantly flows out of him. It is spectacular. Taron’s performance really captures this and brings it to us.
The humanising performance of Bernie and the realness of their relationship is touching. Elton is inappropriate and is rude antagonistic but Bernie is always there for him.
They have a real bond and I think it is totally necessary to balance the heart ache for us and for Elton as we watch the pain he is going through.
Photography & Visuals
The best parts of this film are where we step into the magical world. Almost all the songs have this magical realism intertwined with them. The visuals transport us as much as the action itself.
The opening transition back in time is handled so well with some people in black and white and others in colour until we realise what has just happened. Very clever stuff to tell story through technical choices.
Overall
I really enjoyed this as a counterpart to the biopic style we have seen recently in other films, especially Bohemian Rhapsody. This is spine tingling good but is a completely different beast.
Lots of great stuff in here for fans and newbies alike. It’s a lot of fun and Taron is great as Elton but for me the stand out performance is Bernie. I think a lot of that comes down to how great a character Bernie is.
