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ROCKETMAN (2019)
Rocketman poster

CAST
TARON EGERTON
JAMIE BELL
KIT CONNOR
TATE DONOVAN
BRYCE DALLAS HOWARD
STEPHEN GRAHAM
MATTHEW ILLESLEY
GEMMA JONES
STEVEN MACKINTOSH
RICHARD MADDEN
CHARLIE ROWE
CELINDE SCHOENMAKER

WRITTEN BY
LEE HALL

PRODUCED BY
ADAM BOHLING
DAVID FURNISH
DAVID REID
MATTHEW VAUGHN

DIRECTED BY
DEXTER FLETCHER

GENRE
BIOGRAPHY
DRAMA
MUSIC

RATED
AUS:MA
UK:15
USA:R

RUNNING TIME
121 MIN

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rocketman image

Superbly performed biopic presented with flair and imagination, Rocketman chronicles the soaring highs and crippling lows that shaped the life of Elton John and the music that made him a superstar.

Just like a pop song, there is a formula to music biopics. The likes of Ray and Walk the Line perfected it, and Bohemian Rhapsody made it a billion-dollar enterprise. Like most pop songs, it is the music biopic that has personality, imagination and energy that separates it from the pack. Rocketman has all of this in spades. Directed by Dexter Fletcher (Sunshine on Leith), this movie based on the life and songs of Elton John portrays a life determined by its relationships. Whether it be father, mother, partner or best friend, John placed his heart and his life in the hands of others to determine how he should be, while struggling with the notion that, yes, he should and could be loved for who he is.

That story begins with young Reginald Dwight (Matthew Illesley) showing he has a knack for piano, which he continues to develop as a teen (Kit Connor). With mother Sheila (Bryce Dallas Howard) hardly an example of parental responsibility, and father Stanley (Steven Mackintosh) slithering with contempt for his son, Reginald escapes into his music and grows into a confident musician and hits the road as Elton “Hercules” John (Taron Egerton). With lyricist Bernie Taupin (Jamie Bell) by his side and unscrupulous manager John Reid (Richard Madden) pulling the strings, Elton takes on the world accumulating success beyond his wildest dreams, while also drowning in a deep dark tide of addiction and self-loathing.

The “rise and fall” of a rock stars life is standard fair. Even the “Kings” of the music world (Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, etc) have succumbed to the temptations and trappings of a life of fame and riches. Considering that many of Elton John’s peers have passed away over the years, that he is indeed “still standing” is something of a miracle. “I am an alcoholic, a sex addict, a shopaholic and a bulimic” is one of the first lines of dialogue spoken by Egerton. It’s an admission that is as frank as it is true, Egerton portraying John’s talents and excesses without hesitation or misstep.

Some have already heard Egerton’s ability to carry a tune in the underrated animation release Sing (in which he performs John’s “I’m Still Standing” no less), yet that does not prepare for the all-encompassing performance that Egerton delivers here. Both Elton John the musician and the man are portrayed with staggering depth and energy, Egerton using his own voice to deliver compositions iconic and catchy, while also portraying a great flair for dramatics deep and bombastic. Egerton not only gets to the heart and soul of John’s music, but also John the man: singer, songwriter, lover, user, adored by a legion of fans yet unloved by those closest to him. It’s a staggering life portrayed in a towering performance.

Fletcher approaches John’s life with the unconventional flair it deserves. Rather than the typical “musician sings iconic song” scene that features in many of these films, Fletcher has his musical numbers spread its wings and take flight with eye-popping, toe-tapping sequences that entertain and tell a story. It is indeed a breath of fresh air to find a music biopic that does not approach its material with bland convention. Elton John’s life and music deserves better than that, and Rocketman delivers on that promise.

 

****

 

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