Featured in The 7PM Project: December 5, 2024 Episode (2024)
Plot
A unique profile of British pop superstar Robbie Williams. The film was born from multiple recordings of interviews that director Michael Gracey made with Robbie Williams over the course of a year and a half at Williams’ recording studio in Los Angeles, USA. Although the interviews were not originally made for a film, as Gracey “just wanted to capture [Williams] in his voice telling his story”, most of Williams’ voiceover in the film comes from those recordings. This film is not what I expected.
Jonno Davies is fantastic as Robbie, capturing his movements and idiosyncrasies perfectly
In a Robbie Williams biopic, you would expect color, drama, music and dance and this film does not disappoint in terms of spectacle. But where lesser-known biopics take you on a journey through an artist’s achievements, this film takes you on a journey through the psyche of Robbie Williams as he tries to come to terms with having everything he’s ever wanted, but still feeling like it’s not enough . The film moves at a breakneck pace and there are very few moments where the film pauses for breath, but it is to the credit of Michael Gracey and the team around him that the film still manages to deliver powerful emotional punches. The team at Weta should also be commended for their incredible work in transforming his performance into a chimpanzee that symbolizes how Robbie sees himself (an acrobatic ape, less evolved than those around him).
The film benefits greatly from being an indie film
Raechelle Banno plays Nicole Appleton (from All Saints) and gives a moving performance as Robbie’s girlfriend. Her dance performance and the montage of their reunion are truly one of the highlights of the film. Steve Pemberton is perfect as Robbie’s father, the man who made him who he became in the worst possible way. It feels like the story Michael Gracey really wanted to tell.
His singing and voiceover work was also outstanding
The sex, drugs and rock and roll are laid bare in all their grotesque glory. Robbie Williams himself should also be widely commended for allowing the film to lay all of its flaws and mistakes at the feet of the audience. He doesn’t fare well in much of the film and the film is enriched by his honesty with the audience. This film is bombastic and brash for almost the entire running time, but just like the man it captures, it has a sensitive soul just beneath all the bravado.
I hope it gets the success it deserves
It’s the best film of the year, a visual and auditory feast.
